By Ashleigh Yates
More than 16,000 police officers have been injured on the job in New Zealand in the past eight years.
Exclusive statistics released to Newshub under the Official Information Act show 440 officers have been hospitalised from injuries sustained at work in the past 10 years. The worst year was 2018, with 65 hospitalisations, and this year until June, there were 27.
Overall, 16,248 police officers have been injured at work from April 2013 until the end of June this year.
It comes as police ask for video from the public following an armed standoff in west Auckland on Monday that left a gunman dead and three officers in hospital. One officer has been discharged and another was due to be released on Tuesday. A third, who underwent surgery, is in a stable condition.
Police Association president Chris Cahill says "it shouldn't be like that".
"Officers shouldn't expect to be assaulted when they go to work, but at the moment the chances are you will be."
Police Minister Poto Williams says the injury statistics are "always really distressing".
"We want to make sure that our staff and teams, our police who go out there to keep us safe, can return home to their families safely every day too."
In Auckland, Mayor Phil Goff says the increased use of firearms is causing real concern. Many of the shootings are gang-related, and he, like the community, has zero tolerance.
Now, the Police Association is renewing calls for officers to be armed to stay safe.
"Unless we can turn the tide back on the supply of firearms to these criminals, unfortunately, that's what's going to have to happen. Officers have the right to have every tactical option available to them," Cahill says
But Williams isn't in favour of routinely arming police and "never will be".
"What I am in favour of is when situations are needed that we have the right staff deployed in the right way with the right resources," she says.
The minister says police are increasing firearms training and ensuring more staff are trained to armed offenders squad level. There's also more training for dog teams.
Meanwhile, police are appealing for any footage taken while Monday's standoff unfolded.
Neighbours are still reeling as police try to work out exactly what sparked the standoff.
"Everyone is quite close and we all had a chat yesterday and everyone is quite shocked that this has happened," says witness Elvin Ram.
Waitākere Councillor Shane Henderson says the temperature is "pretty high" in the community.
"This is just the latest of another incident that people are concerned and worried about."
