Police National Headquarters today welcomed the report of the Coroner into the deaths of Senior Constable Len Snee and Jan Molenaar in Napier in May 2009.
Superintendent John Rivers, of the Operations Support Group, said that Police wished to once again express sympathies to all the families involved in this tragedy.
Police noted that the Coroner had agreed with the organisation's view that the reaction of Jan Molenaar to what was a routine search was extreme and totally out of proportion. Any actions by Police were not the cause of the death of Senior Constable Snee but were incidental to it. Jan Molenaar murdered Senior Constable Snee and then took his own life.
Mr Rivers said Police were already acting on all the recommendations made by the Coroner.
"Police will shortly be recommending policy changes to the Minister concerning the Arms Act.
"Police has given careful consideration to the recommendations of the Thorpe Report. Many of them form part of current police practice, although not necessarily expressed in legislation.
"The Thorpe Report recommended the banning of all MSSAs, including those in sporting configuration which are currently classed as Category A firearms. When the Arms Amendment Act 1992 was being developed, a total ban of MSSAs was rejected as this would not necessarily solve the problem as there were already around 12,000 - 15,000 such weapons in the country including legitimate users such as deer hunters and shooting competitors. The outcome was to treat MSSAs the same as pistols and restricted weapons.
"With regard to digital radio the national rollout of digital radio has already begun. Wellington and Wairarapa have been operating on the digital system since June 2009. By the end of this year greater Auckland and Canterbury will be switched over to the new system. Proposals are being advanced to ensure the remaining parts of the country are cut over to digital radio by 2014. This is a complex, technical solution and it is being implemented as quickly as possible.
"The review of Police General Instructions is being implemented through the Corporate Instruments Project. This project began in 2008 and is almost complete. The review of the Operational GIs is 97% complete.
"The review of development of options relating to operational risk assessments is included in the substantial programme of work that has been instigated by the Commissioner. Since the shootings of Sergeant Wilkinson and Senior Constable Snee there has been a much closer assessment of risks taken into account throughout the organisation when planning the execution of search warrants," said Superintendent Rivers.
ENDS