Police shoot only to hurt — Commissioner

Press, Volume CXVI, Issue 34047, 10 January 1976, Page 14

Police shoot only to hurt — Commissioner

i'ZV.Z. Press Association) > WELLINGTON, January 9. I If policemen had to they aimed to wound, not to kill. But it had to be accepted that police use of firearms could result in death, the Commissioner of Police (Mr K. B. Burnside) said today.

Mr Burnside had been asked what instructions were given to the police armed

I offenders squads about i shooting at people, whether;; they were told to shoot to)' injure or to kill, and whetheri; it was practical in tense)! moments to shoot to injure.;! On Sunday a youth who; fired at a policeman ini' Taumarunui was Shot by al< policeman and died later inh hospital. “In all operations involving!! armed police,” Mr Burnside;; 'said, “orders are given ini! 'accordance with general: [instructions on the use off (guns in that particular situa-i; |tion. Cool reaction ' “Where any person is); armed to the danger of him-!' (self or the public, it isj ■ usually a tense situation, but! ' the intention of the police iis that the incident be resolved without injury to, [anyone.

■ “The armed offenders : squads were formed specifically for this purpose, and proper training is given to ensure that members react coolly under stress and with a minimum of force necessary to achieve their purpose. “This philosophy has proved successful on many hundreds of occasions since the squads were formed in 1964, but there have recently been times when the police (have been required to shoot (offenders,” he said. ' “While it. is the police! wish that any wound inflicted! be non-fatak it must be! accepted that any such use) of firearms could result in; death.”

The squads, which are armed with .223 Brno bolt-

action rifles and .38 special; iSmith and Wesson revolvers,' (were formed after' four (policemen were shot and. 'killed within a month in (1964. I Their purpose is “to deal (with persons armed to the 'danger of the public,” and Itheir special training includes I fieldcraft. marksmanship, basic psychology, and tactics [applicable in city, country, or (bush. I The police say their main ("weapon” is the use of voice [appeals, usually through [loud-hailers. And in fact (only six persons have been (shot, three of them fatally, in jabout 600 operations mounted (since they were formed.