KEY POINTS:
A National-led government would require DNA samples to be taken from anyone arrested for imprisonable crimes, allow police to issue immediate protection orders and would toughen up bail laws.
In a speech to the Police Association, National's leader John Key said the party would also introduce tasers if the current evaluation of the police trial proved positive.
Mr Key said National was committed to reducing crime and believed police needed a new set of tools.
National's 2005 election policy on DNA samples was to require them only after offenders had been convicted.
"No one would expect a mechanic to fix a 2007 model car with a set of tools from the 70s," Mr Key said.
"Neither should we expect our modern police officers to fight 21st Century crime with outdated equipment, laws and powers."
At present protection orders - used in domestic violence cases - can only be granted by a court.
Under National's plan police would be given the ability to issue interim "time-bound" orders.
An announcement that National would scrap recent bail changes comes as no surprise, as it has protested loudly the new regime pushes the balance too far in the favour of the offender receiving bail.
Mr Key also repeated National's previously announced plans to tackle gangs by changing laws to make it easier for police to snoop on gangs, remove gang fortifications and make gang membership an aggravated factor in sentencing.
National would also bolster laws making it illegal to be a member of a "criminal organisation".
Mr Key said National would also honour the Government's pledge to boost sworn police numbers by 1000 by mid 2009.
However it would try and deploy the bulk of them to front-line general policing duties.
Mr Key said violent crime had been rising and a violent crime now occurred somewhere in New Zealand every 10 minutes.
Police were often in the firing line with an average six assaults a day on officers in the past year.
Mr Key said National would introduce tasers subject to a positive evaluation of the trial, but he seemed to believe that was a forgone conclusion.
"We think police need another non-lethal means for dealing with these offenders.
"Tasers are the obvious answer."
Mr Key said DNA was the modern fingerprint and National was keen to use it more widely.
"National's rationale for this is simple: If we catch and punish criminals earlier, we prevent them from creating more victims."
Under current law DNA samples can be taken only when a suspect volunteers, or if they are suspected of a crime punishable by more than seven years' jail.
Mr Key said National had put together a range of law and order policies and they would be released "one by one" between now and next year's election.
New policies would be revealed in the areas of youth justice, victims rights, sentencing for the worst offenders, rehabilitation and the management of courts and prisons.
- NZPA
