Attack reignites armed police debate

Senior Constable Bruce Mellor in hospital with his injuries. Photo / Supplied

The Police Minister will meet the Police Commissioner today to discuss a report on whether to give officers easier access to firearms following the brutal machete attack on a policeman on Saturday morning.

Senior Constable Bruce Mellor remained in a serious but stable condition in Palmerston North Hospital this morning after suffering a fractured skull, a broken eye socket and jaw and broken front teeth, a "patchwork" of cuts to his face, skull, arms and hands and a massive gash running around his forehead to his ear.

He was attacked with a machete after he stopped a red Mazda 323 hatchback just north of Taihape following reports about the northbound car driving erratically.

The alleged attackers, two youths aged 14 and 18, left Mr Mellor for dead by the side of the road before crashing and rolling their vehicle a short distance away.

They collected hay from a nearby barn and attempted to set fire to the stolen vehicle before being arrested, Detective Inspector Chris Bensemann said.

They will appear in Wanganui District Court today charged with unlawfully taking a motor vehicle and assault, and may face more serious charges.

The attack has renewed questions about whether officers in remote areas should be patrolling alone, and whether front-line police officers should be able to carry firearms.

Police Commissioner Howard Broad was presented with a report considering easier access to firearms last week and will meet Police Minister Judith Collins to discuss its findings today.

But it did not appear carrying a firearm would have prevented last night's attack, Ms Collins said.

"It doesn't sound as though he would have any chance to use a firearm anyway. It sounds very much as though he was hit from behind and it was completely unexpected - he didn't see it coming at all."

Police Association president Greg O'Connor said he did not accept this.

"People are too quick to say that. Firstly, it doesn't take into account the attitude the offenders would have had if they had known the police officer was armed and, secondly, it doesn't take into account what opportunities may have been available to the police officer once he was attacked."

Preventing single patrols was unrealistic as it would mean virtually doubling the staff in most stations around New Zealand, he said.

"We should be minimising the single patrols, but we accept that there will always be occasions where (having them) is inevitable, just to ensure the public get the service."

"What we do need is a bit of an attitudinal change among New Zealanders in that we've got to make sure that police that are being placed in these dangerous situation are given the tools to protect themselves," he said.

"And the minimum is a firearm on the hip, and not only that, the acceptance by New Zealanders, including the media, that there may be a need for them to use it."

Prime Minister John Key said today he was cautious about every police officer having a gun on a hip.

"Because I tell you what that means that police officer has to make the decision to firstly take that gun out of the holster and then potentially discharge it. That's a big call for any police officer and it may put their life at more risk than less risk.

"Inevitably there will be more arming of police but if you get to a point where every police officer in New Zealand carries a gun it will be a very different relationship between the police and the public."

- NZPA