There has been a strong push by the Police Association for all police officers to be armed.
Delegates at the association's conference voted unanimously to approve the motion yesterday and called for the process of arming officers to begin immediately, Radio New Zealand reported.
Association president Greg O'Connor said guns that were stored in patrol cars were still too far away if officers needed to use them.
"I'm referring to the fact that a police officer was shot just last month.
"I'm referring to the fact that police officers on the street are increasingly stumbling across firearms, just last week two officers visiting an address on a bail check happened across armed offenders," he told RNZ.
However, Police Minister Michael Woodhouse said he backed the Commissioner's view that police did not need to be armed generally.
He earlier said he was open to speaking to the association about giving guns to police, but he was yet to be convinced that there was a case for change.
"What's important to me is that the police have the tools readily available to them to defuse or deal with situations as they arise.
"And I think where we're at at the moment is the right place."
