Yesterday two police officers were shot and injured in Christchurch. A police dog was shot dead. The police officers did not have guns because they did not expect trouble. They were looking for a missing mental health patient and went to a house next door to ask if anyone had seen the man. At that house, they smelt cannabis. When they wanted to search the house, someone shot them and the dog. Later, the armed offenders police squad used a taser to arrest a man at that house. A taser gun gives an electric shock which is quite painful.

Usually police in New Zealand do not carry guns. Sometimes they have guns locked in the car but they first have to get permission to use the guns. We have special armed offenders police squads in the cities and they are trained to use guns.

Now some people think our police should carry guns at all times. The chief of police does not think this is a good idea. He said that if the police were armed, criminals would also be armed.

Questions

Do police carry guns in your country?

Do you think New Zealand police should be armed?

In what way is a police dog different from a family dog?