Armed offenders squad deployed more in 2018 than the past five years in the Bay of Plenty

Armed offenders squad have been deployed more in 2018 than in the past five years. Photo / File

The Armed Offenders Squad was called out 118 times across the Bay of Plenty in 2018.

This was the highest number of callouts in the last five years, according to figures released to the Bay of Plenty Times.

In 2013 and 2014, the Armed Offenders Squad was called out 58 times each year across the region. This increased to 96 call-outs in 2015 and 99 in 2016.

In 2017, the number of callouts rose to 108.

The Western Bay of Plenty's figures averaged almost four callouts a month in 2018, 47 in total.

Western Bay of Plenty area commander Inspector Clifford Paxton said it was not possible to draw a correlation between one factor and a rise or fall in Armed Offenders Squad call-outs.

"Police work to a prevention-first model, which focuses on pre-emptively preventing harm in our communities," Paxton said.

"The deployment of the Armed Offender Squad on pre-planned tasks is considered based on a risk assessment of each situation, and is done to ensure the safety of the community and our officers."

Paxton said in general instances, events that the Armed Offender Squad was called to were serious as the members had specific training for prolonged or hostile situations.

However, in some situations, the squad was used as a precaution for pre-planned operations where there was high risk, for example helping other police with search warrants.

"The Armed Offenders Squad provides police with the means of effectively and safely responding to and resolving situations involving an actual or threatened use of firearms against members of the public or police," Paxton said.

"The basic methods of operating are to cordon, contain and appeal to armed offenders.

"These tactics are successful in the vast majority of incidents, which are resolved without the use of force."

Figures show almost four times a month the Armed Offenders Squad were deployed in the Western Bay of Plenty. Photo / File

What is the Armed Offenders Squad?

There are 17 Armed Offenders Squads nationally, made up of nearly 300 part-time members, covering all the country's main centres.

These squads were first established in 1964 after the fatal shooting of four police officers in incidents in Lower Hutt and Waitakere.

Members must qualify at a national selection and induction course and receive regular additional training in their districts.

They are part-time volunteers, drawn from all branches of police and operate on a call-out basis.