Gisborne police are getting Armed Offenders Squad (AOS) members on the ground alongside front line officers and bringing staff in from across the country to deal with a surge in gun crime.
Tairāwhiti Police area commander Inspector Sam Aberahama Photo: Tom Kitchin/RNZ
The move comes as community representatives held a hui yesterday to discuss solutions, after shootings and rising gang tensions.
There have been several firearms incidents in Tairāwhiti over recent weeks - both in Gisborne and Wairoa - and a house fire in Gisborne on the same street where someone was shot on Monday night.
Two weeks ago, a 12-year-old, a teenager and young woman were shot at outside a house where there was a gang gathering. Another three were also injured.
Police are also investigating multiple incidents from last week, including a man who arrived at Hawke's Bay Hospital in Hastings with a gunshot wound on his finger, after he was was shot in Wairoa.
There were other incidents where gunshots were heard around Gisborne.
Police are also carrying out two homicide investigations from earlier this year, when two women died after being shot.
Tuta Ngarimu is organising community hui to solve the gun crime problems. Photo: Tom Kitchin/RNZ
Following a community rally on Friday, a small group of social service providers and government agencies met with whānau yesterday to discuss solutions.
Organiser Tuta Ngarimu said they wanted to make a stand.
"The pattern's heading towards normalising this kind of behaviour in our community."
They called on government agencies to work closer together and plan a "community day" further down the line.
The latest gang bust up in Gisborne is a house fire on Totara St. Photo: RNZ/Tom Kitchin
Police are providing 24-hour patrols to reassure "high-risk communities" where offending has occurred.
"That is just about being highly visible, they're actually focused on locating some high-risk offenders," Tairāwhiti Police area commander Inspector Sam Aberahama said.
He said extra resource was coming in from outside the eastern district, including extra Armed Offenders Squad staff and detectives.
The patrols would also be staffed with AOS members to give extra support to frontline staff, recognising their safety was "paramount".
