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Labour’s Māori caucus is standing against the general arming of police.
Co-chairs Willie Jackson and Meka Whaitiri met with Police Minister Stuart Nash to discuss their concerns around the armed team response pilot, where Armed Offenders Squad members patrolled South Auckland, Waikato and Canterbury.
An assessment of the pilot is due this month, but Mr Jackson says at this stage Mr Nash and Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern are also opposed to armed policing.
Ms Whaitiri says work by the police to increase the diversity of their workforce to better reflect the communities they serve is already making a positive difference.
That was demonstrated by new Police Commissioner Andy Coster and Commissioner Haumaha’s efforts to work with iwi throughout the COVID-19 lockdown.
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