The Police Association has rubbished suggestions that police should only pursue drivers in "extreme emergencies".

Domestic violence, from psychological abuse to beatings, is our biggest problem.

Police are targeting a small list of disqualified drink-drivers who have offended at least three times.

Police are still appealing for sightings of a van seen in the area early on the morning when Lachan Kelly-Tumarae was fatally shot by police.

A post-mortem examination has found the 19-year-old shot by police in rural Hawkes Bay yesterday died from a gunshot wound.

The prospect of routine imprisonment for drivers who flee from police patrols looms after 16 people died in police pursuits in 2010.

It is inevitable that police officers' access to firearms will increase, Prime Minister John Key says.

A 10-year-old boy says he would have died without the brave actions of an off-duty police officer who pulled him from a burning wreck.

Police Commissioner Howard Broad says New Zealand should remain a routinely unarmed police force - and that is something to be proud of.

The latest deaths brought the total this year to 16, from 11 fatal pursuits - the worst on record.

A victim of several burglaries says he now pauses before asking the police to investigate because it takes them too long to respond.