TEAR SMOKE GUNS ISSUED TO POLICE

Press, Volume CIV, Issue 30940, 22 December 1965, Page 3

TEAR SMOKE GUNS ISSUED TO POLICE

(New Zealand Press Association) WELLINGTON, Dec. 21. New tear smoke guns issued last week to principal police stations throughout New Zealand can fire a tear smoke shell into a house or building at ranges up to 300 yards and clear a gunman out in a matter of seconds.

American police have been using the gun for at least five years and it was adopted by the New South Wales police two years ago.

At 100 yards the weapons will punch a shell through corrugated iron or weatherboards. This is their most effective range. The smoke they generate is so potent that a house in which a shell has been discharged has to be aired for at least 24 hours before it can be inhabited. The missile is an inch and a half in diameter and about 10 inches long. It has springloaded tail fins which operate when the missile leaves the squat barrel of the gun. The gun costs £3O and shells cost £3 10s. Armed offenders squads throughout New Zealand have been issued with the Ameri-can-made weapons, officially known as “tear smoke dischargers.” Others are available at key police stations which have no armed offenders squads. A week ago 28 selected policemen from throughout the country attended an in-

struction course on use of the tear smoke guns. It was conducted at the Police School, Trentham, by the police armourer (Sergeant J. E. Debney). Every man fired a practice shell from the weapon. The head of the Criminal Investigation Branch (Detective Chief Superintendent W. H. A. Sharp) said today the guns would supplement tear smoke pistols and grenades which had been on issue for some years.

The pistols are similar to a Verey signal flare discharger. They are effective at close range only and their penetration is insignificant. They will break a light glass

window if the pistol is fired from a few yards away. Grenades were introduced more recently and are hand thrown.

Superintendent Sharp said the principal advantage of the gun was that it overcame the need for a man to expose himself to danger to deliver a tear smoke generator.

Three years ago Detective Sergeant N. W. Power was killed in a shooting affray at Waitakere, Auckland, when attempting to dislodge a gunman from a house with tear smoke. His tear smoke pistol failed to function and he was shot when he ran in close to throw the smoke generator through a window.