Wairarapa gun club bans police officers

A stoush is brewing between police and a Wairarapa shooting range after the gun club banned officers from the facility.

Shooters say they're frustrated about changes made to firearm laws and say more clubs could soon impose the ban.

Any licensed firearm holder is welcome at the Wairarapa Shooting and Sports Club - except if you're a police officer.

Officers from the Armed Offenders Squad usually train here a dozen times a year.

They've now been banned because shooters say they haven't been consulted about changes to the Arms Act.

Club president Gary Rawlinson argues police changed the rules around firearm measurements, meaning a firearm that was legal one day wasn't the next.

He says police are also taking longer to process applications for licenses and importing gun parts.

And shooters are warning other clubs could also impose the ban.

The gun club reckons the law changes do little to keep firearms out of the hands of criminals, but instead unnecessarily leave responsible shooters out of pocket.

The Police Association disagrees, saying the ban is disappointing.

Police will visit the club on Thursday.

Mr Rawlinson says only once his members feel like they've been listened to will the men and women in blue be welcome back.

Newshub.