11 Aug 2015

Shooting accused remanded in custody

4:14 pm on 11 August 2015

A man who allegedly fired shots inside the Palmerston North police station has appeared in the city's district court this afternoon.

The 30-year-old man did not enter pleas to firearms and driving charges and has been remanded in custody until next month.

Police say a man shot at the Highbury Policing Centre shortly after 8pm last night, shattering its windows.

The man then drove to the main station and shot at a protective glass partition, which a female officer was sitting behind.

The police say the man then drove to Whanganui, dumping his gun at the cemetery there before driving back to Palmerston North, where he was arrested by officers from the Armed Offenders Squad.

Inspector Peter Cooper said it was a traumatic experience for the officer shot at and she was being supported by her colleagues.

Following the incident, the Police Association has warned there needs to be a balance between public access to police stations and ensuring the safety of staff.

Association president Greg O'Connor said such incidents showed how vulnerable anyone in a reception area was when confronted by a motivated person.

Mr O'Connor said the association was concerned that the balance in modern police stations was more in favour of public access, at the expense of security.