Police "got complacent" over the need for more special equipment in the country, Police Association president Chris Cahill says.
It comes after the findings of an independent review into the police's handling of the Parliament occupation in 2022 were released yesterday.
Speaking to Breakfast this morning, Cahill said Aotearoa hadn't seen a protest on this scale since the Springbok tour in 1981.
"We got complacent would be the right word. I mean even across the country we've heard a lot of staff say we don't get public order police training even for minor protests, mass crowd situations and things like that.
"It's a core part of policing that police need to be prepared for and that's a recommendation in the report and one that we'll be following up, that is there equipment made available but [also] ongoing training at the right level."
Cahill also said there needs to be more expertise around planning for significant events like the Parliament protest.
Yesterday Police Minister Ginny Andersen said she is "pleased" and "assured" by the findings of the review.
She said the IPCA had confirmed police "did a good job in tough and unprecedented circumstances".
"I’m pleased that their work has now been independently recognised."
The report found overall, the police "served the public of New Zealand well", but there was inadequate access to body armour for front line officers, and new recruits were thrown into the confrontation without adequate preparation.
Cahill said if there was a protest tomorrow, police would be a lot better placed to handle it but he'd still have some concerns.
"I'd still be concerned that we haven't got enough equipment if it was the size of the protest we saw back in March last year.
"But we know there's been a hundred extra suits of body armour that've been obtained so we'd like to see that increase and make sure there's supply in all districts."
Police Commissioner Andrew Coster welcomed the release of the report and was pleased it found officers had been professional and restrained.
SHARE ME