It comes after Dairy and Business Association chair Sunny Kaushal told AM last week several dairies are employing their own security guards and looking at buying guns amid a spike in ram raids.
“It’s very hard to run a business in New Zealand at the moment because the state is failing to provide them security and safety,” Kaushal told AM.
“I can tell you 30 percent of the business owners who call me are asking how to get a gun licence. It’s become that serious because if the police and authorities are not able to save them they have to save themselves.”
Ardern said she “totally understands the concern that exists”, but arming dairy owners is not the answer to reducing ram raids.
“Firearms are not the answer, firearms are not the answer,” Ardern repeated. “They will never be the answer. We don’t want to see people put themselves at risk.”
Ardern said the correct response is putting measures in place to protect those at risk.
“Ryan, I’m never ever going to say, that there is a situation where the right response is for someone to arm themselves because we can see what happens in those situations and the right response is making sure we put in preventive measures to support those who have experienced repeat crime.”
One idea being considered is changing the police pursuit policy.
Police Commissioner Andrew Coster revealed on AM last week, that 2020 changes to police’s pursuit policy are being reviewed and could be fine-tuned.
Former police negotiator Lance Burdett believes the reason young offenders are committing these crimes is because they want that notoriety.
“Is it they know they won’t be chased, or are they doing it for other reasons?” Burdett said on AM.
“Young people don’t have the full faculty of logic of their brain. They’re born curious, they like notoriety, and there is a whole underlying reason as to why this is. Look at the places they’re going to ram raid, some of them are just basic needs and clothing.
“Young people love to glamourise things. We have cars shown on the media, cars driving around malls, and they want that notoriety.”
Burdett said another issue with changing the policy is officers aren’t trained in high-speed pursuits at police college. They’re taught in low-speed pursuits.
