Police officers want more training for when they're confronted by firearms.
The Police Association has found one in five frontline officers are threatened with guns.
President Chris Cahill, says the statistics are distressing.
"That's a 38 percent increase, which is really concerning. [It] just sets off alarm bells around safety."
Mr Cahill says it's an "echo of the wider community as well".
"A dairy owner in south Auckland whose getting robbed - that's what we're worried about."
Police use their specific training every time, Mr Cahill says, so could benefit from more of it.
"There are very few situations where you can resolve a situation with a firearm without resorting to a firearm yourself," he explained.
Mr Cahill says the confrontations are reflective of an increased risk to the public.
Newshub.