Police are getting three new blast-proof vehicles to help them deal with major security events and high-risk firearms incidents.
The vehicles look like standard Toyota Land Cruisers but have been fitted with bulletproof and blast-resistant armour.
"These vehicles provide protection for staff in the same way their ballistic body armour does and will enable them to safely carry out their jobs, keeping themselves and the public safe," a police spokesperson says.
"Examples of previous incidents where the vehicles would have been deployed are the Napier siege in 2009, and in a shooting incident in Whangarei in 2017 where two people lost their life and police were fired on as they tried to get to the victims."
The vehicles will be based in Auckland, Wellington, and Christchurch and will be used across the country as required.
They are expected to become operational during December.
