Detailed table of contents
This chapter contains the following topics:
Summary
This section contains the following topics:
Introduction
This chapter describes the Police Armoury, the services it provides and when to contact them.
It does not provide detailed Information about examining crime scenes Involving firearms or how to recover firearms and related items from a scene.
About the Armoury
The Armoury:
- is a specialist national firearms forensic and repair service within the National Criminal Investigations Group
- reports to the National Forensics Services Advisor at PNHQ
- employs Police employees as fully trained armourers who are accepted as expert witnesses by the courts
- Is located at the Upper Hutt Police station.
Armoury services
The Armoury:
- makes scene examinations at incidents involving firearms
- examines firearms with reports or evidence briefs
- presents oral and physical evidence in judicial hearings
- Inspects and services any Police firearm which is believed to be faulty
- tests and services any Police Taser believed to be faulty
- repairs, maintains and modifies Police firearms
- makes technical evaluations of firearms being considered for Police use
- evaluates imported civilian firearms
- gives technical advice on all matters relating to firearms and ammunition.
Contacting the Armoury
Information withheld. Reason not given.
Important: Do not address packages to the 'Armoury' as this lessens the chances of theft of firearms in transit.
Work hours
Information withheld. Reason not given.
Crimes involving firearms
This section contains the following topics:
- Specialist attendance and advice
- Examination types and priorities
- When examination by Police armourers is necessary
- Sending firearms for examination
- Armourer's evidence report
- Collecting evidence
- Examining the scene
Specialist attendance and advice
Police armourers can give expert advice and may attend crime scenes Involving a firearm at the request of the officer in charge.
ESR (Environmental Science and Research) staff should attend all serious crime scenes involving a firearm.
Examination types and priorities
Different forensic examinations of firearms and related evidence may be necessary depending on the circumstances of each case. The O/C Case should liaise with the Fingerprint Section, ESR and the Police armourer to determine the examination method that will produce the best results and the examination's priority.
Generally the Armoury's examination is done after the Fingerprint Section and ESR forensic personnel have finished their examinations.
When examination by Police armourers is necessary
A Police armourer must examine firearms when:
- a person has been Intentionally or accidentally killed or injured by a firearm discharged by another person
- there has been Intentional or accidental self injury or a suicide involving a firearm
- a Police constable has shot at a person, whether or not injury has occurred
- the Independent Police Conduct Authority investigates a Police employee's use of a Police firearm
- the O/C case considers a firearm examination is necessary.
Sending firearms for examination
For information about sending firearms to or from the Armoury for examination, see the 'Police firearms' chapter of the Police Manual.
Important note: Exhibit firearms should not be stripped or dismantled. They should only be checked to ensure that they do not contain ammunition, and then sent to the Armoury as they are. This avoids the possibility that a firearm that may have been incorrectly disassembled has its functioning affected when it is examined.
Armourer's evidence report
The examining armourer provides a full evidence report after the examination. It must contain the following subjects and information.
| Subject | Information Included |
|---|---|
| Identify the firearm |
Note: If information has been removed, either ESR or the Armoury must make reasonable attempts to recover it. |
| Subject | Information Included |
|---|---|
| General external condition |
|
| Barrel |
|
| Trigger mechanism |
|
| Test firing |
|
| Other examinations requested by officer in charge |
|
Collecting evidence
For detailed information about how to safely recover firearms and related evidence without damaging fingerprint or other forensic evidence, see the 'Firearms evidence' chapter of the Police Manual.
Examining the scene
When examining crime scenes involving firearms you must follow the general procedures set out in the 'Crime scene examination' chapter.
Servicing Police firearms and Tasers
This section contains the following topics:
- Armoury and district responsibilities
- Armourer's annual inspection
- Firearm / Taser repairs and modifications
- Unauthorised modifications
- Sending firearms for servicing
Armoury and district responsibilities
Districts (Includes service centres) are responsible for maintaining their firearms and Tasers in a clean condition fit for operational use.
The Armoury is responsible for:
- servicing, repairing and modifying all Police firearms
- cleaning firearms after use In exceptional circumstances, e.g. when the firearm has been fully submerged in liquid.
- servicing Tasers
Districts must not send firearms to local repair services because many are not able to meet required Police standards.
Armourer's annual inspection
The Police armourer must visit each district annually to audit, inspect and service all firearms held by the district and national tactical squads.Note: The Armoury only cleans firearms during annual inspections in exceptional circumstances. The district is responsible for cleaning firearms.
Firearm / Taser repairs and modifications
Before using a firearm, you must check your firearm's safety against a safety checklist to ensure the firearm is safe. For the safety checkllst, see the 'Police firearms' chapter. A firearm that fails any aspect of the safety checkllst must be:
- Immediately withdrawn from use
- sent to the Armoury with a report detailing the fault.
- Tasers should be pre operation checked before being issued.
The Armoury repairs and modifies all Police firearms and Tasers, and replaces parts when required.
The National Manager: Response and Operations approval must be obtained before any modifications or attachments to firearms or Tasers.
Unauthorised modifications
If an armourer finds a firearm or Taser with unauthorised modifications or attachments, e.g. during the annual inspection, they must:
- withdraw it, and
- report the facts to the National Manager: Response and Operations who will decide on any further action to be taken.
Sending firearms for servicing
For information about sending firearms to or from the Armoury for servicing, see the 'Police Firearms' chapter.
Tasers sent to the Armoury should be accompanied by the Taser Log Book.
Checking imported civilian firearms
This section contains the following topics:
Approved civilian firearms
Civilians may only import firearms that Police have approved for importation and sale. See the list of firearms approved by the Manager: Arms Control.
Armoury role
Before civilian firearms are approved for importation and sale by the Manager: Arms Control, the Armoury:
- inspects all new firearms models to ensure they are safe and meet the requirements of the Arms Act 1983, and
- provides advice to the Manager: Arms Control about the technical aspects of proposed firearms imports.
Further information
For more Information about importing firearms, see the Arms Code.