Man with pistol arrested in Tauranga

A man who called police and told them he had a pistol and was about to harm himself was arrested in Tauranga early this morning.

Senior Sergeant Glenn Saunders said the 19-year-old called police before 1am from Memorial Park.

Cordons were set up around the park and police negotiators managed to coax the man out of the park, where he was arrested without incident.

He had an air-operated .45 replica pistol in his possession.

The man, a security officer, will face a charge of unlawful possession of an imitation firearm when he appears in Tauranga District Court on May 6.

- NZPA