NZ Police Commissioner Bush Calls for GUN AMNESTY:

The Commissioner of Police and the Police Association have held a Press Release calling for an eighteen month firearms amnesty to encourage the handing-in of illegal firearms.

New Zealand Police Commissioner Mike Bush.

Mr Bush said it was clear a government buy-back of illegal guns would not work as a solution to the number of illegal weapons.

But he said police would support a grace period allowing people to hand in unwanted firearms for a time.

"In terms of a buy-back, no, I don't believe that's the appropriate way forward, but it's a matter for the select committee."

"The police advice would be an amnesty, yes, but not a buy-back. I understand our Australian colleagues didn't have a lot of success with that, it was hugely expensive," he said.

Police Association president Chris Cahill also agreed a widespread amnesty would be a good idea. - He said in the past people had handed in illegal guns as part of plea bargaining sentences. "The police have rejected this idea because it just leads to burglaries to get these firearms to hand in. "So the police have stopped doing that sort of deal," he said.

It is worrying that neither the Police nor The Police Association seem to be aware that the Arms Act 1983 Section 10.2 permanently provided that any firearm - Legal or ILLEGAL - may be handed in to a Licensed Firearms Dealer at any time.

Can it be that this 'Press Release' is intended rather to influence the outcome of the currently awaited findings of the Parliamentary Inquiry into Illegal Firearms Possession by Criminals?

Marty K.