Cops told anything goes in self defence

If officers were in a situation where they feared for their lives they could use whatever means necessary to get away safely. Photo / APN

Cops are being told "anything goes" when it comes to protecting themselves against dangerous and violent offenders.

And whatever action they choose to take - as long as it saves their lives - police bosses will back them.

At a training session in Christchurch last week officers were told they were within their rights to bite, eye gouge and growl at offenders having a go at them.

Just a week earlier, Senior Constable Bruce Lamb and Constable Mitchel Alatalo were shot by a gunman while doing a routine check at a Christchurch house.

Lamb, a dog handler, was shot in the jaw and Alatalo in the leg. Lamb's police dog, Gage, was shot and killed.

Canterbury district commander Superintendent Dave Cliff said if officers were in a situation where they feared for their lives they could use whatever means necessary to get away safely.

"If there is someone with a knife, or someone comes at them with a baseball bat - there are no rules," he said.

"You've got to do everything possible to save your own life.

"In that scenario you'd bite, scream, do whatever you had to do."