ACT Party leader David Seymour says he doesn't support the mandatory arming of police despite the recent spike in crime.
It comes after a spate of gang shootings in Auckland over the past few weeks and an increase in ram-raid style robberies.
The ongoing gang turf war links back to the shooting of Killer Beez boss Josh Masters in 2019 by his friend Tribesmen enforcer Okusitino Tae, paralysing Masters and souring the gangs' relations. Tae was denied parole just before the renewed tensions erupted, renewing political debate on gangs too.
Speaking with AM on Thursday, Seymour said the Government has lost its grip on gangs and more needs to be done.
"You have to get the culture right. As long as you think gangs are a legitimate part of society, to the extent that Labour was giving them money to try to encourage people not to take the drugs the gangs themselves sold, then don't be surprised that we've got to where we've got to," he told AM's Bernadine Oliver-Kerby.
Seymour said the Government has been too slow to react, pointing to them voting against an Act Party Bill three weeks ago which would make it easier to seize gang members' assets if they're caught with illegal guns.
But when asked whether he thought arming all police was the solution to the spike in crime, Seymour wasn't keen.
"I think it will be a sad day when our police are armed. I think it's a good thing we have a friendly police force, you can get a selfie with them at the rugby but you can't do that in countries where they're covering their guns because they've got this weapon on them," he said.
"On the other hand, police do have the ability to carry, they're carrying more often than ever and I support their right to do so.
"I think it's critical that police are able to defend themselves and their community and if that means they have to carry guns then so be it."
When asked again whether he supported permanently arming police, Seymour said it should be the police's choice.
"If the question is should they be mandatorily armed at all times then I don't think they should be forced to. I think they should have the option which they do and they're using. "
It comes after the Dairy and Business Owners Association chair Sunny Kaushal told AM many business owners are looking to arm themselves in response to the crime wave.
"There is a sense of lawlessness gripping, not just in Auckland, but the entire country and the soft on crime Government and weak leadership is creating an environment of crime," Kaushal told AM last month.
"Right now we have an emergency. It's a retailer and dairy crime emergency so we need to tackle that."
But the Government has repeatedly pushed back on claims it is soft on crime, with Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern calling the accusations unfair on AM last month.
"Let's just look at the bare facts. None of the penalties, none of the consequences for these crimes have changed. So this idea that somehow there is this weakening is just wrong.
"In fact what you've got to consider is that what we are doing differently is not just dealing with the consequences, if you offend in this country you must be held to account."
