escalating violence in our community Become a member of the Sensible Sentencing Trust

Mouseover links for full page descriptions

Archived Press Releases 2010 14th December 2010

SENSIBLE SENTENCING SUPPORTS CALL TO ARM COPS

(14th December 2010)

The Sensible Sentencing Trust is supporting the Police Ministers call to have firearms more freely available, but says police should also be given immunity from prosecution when a firearm is used in the course of duty.

"The last thing New Zealand needs is a police officer losing their life as result of hesitating over possible consequences of using their firearm," Trust Spokesman Garth McVicar said.

"I have no doubt civil liberties lawyers will be lining up to have a go at any police officer who is forced to use their firearm while carrying out their duty to uphold the law and protect the public."

"It is ironic that these same protectors of civil liberties are the principle cause of the problem we now face. Criminals no longer respect the law or fear the consequences for breaking it – the escalation in violent crime is a direct result of the corrupt ‘no responsibility, no accountability’ ideology of those who blindly champion civil liberties."

"The ultimate responsibility must be put on the person committing the crime – not the police – it would be very dangerous to arm the police without more robust legislation to protect them when put in the situation of using them."

"It is ludicrous if the agency responsible for protecting the public is forced to hesitate for fear of the ramifications or back-lash when doing so."

Regards,

Garth McVicar
National Spokesperson,
Sensible Sentencing Trust.