The Saga Continues – The Police Change Policy AGAIN!

In a few weeks the Police will appear in court to defend their insane policy of how to measure an MSSA rifle to ensure that the legal minimum length is met.

Here is the history:

1. Police released a policy – in writing – stating that the rifle would be measured in the open position.
2. Police changed this policy. Telling nobody. No campaign in the gun magazines or social media – nothing. Guns were now to be measured with the stock folded. When the Kiwi Gun Blog asked if the rumors of the change were true – the Police would not answer. We had to apply under the Official Information Act and wait a month to discover the truth. We told people.
3. We campaigned for the Police to at least include the length of any permanently affixed muzzle device. They agreed. Confirming at a Pistol Club meeting and an Antique Arms meeting that if a tool was required for removal then it would be included in overall length. police mssa length

As you can see above – this was confirmed in writing on the 28th September.

4. The Kiwi Gun Blog then heard rumors of another reversal of policy. We asked Police if this was true. They would not say. So we again asked under the Official Information Act and after a month received the following:

Yes – We have complained to the Ombudsman.

Police have recently charged a licensed shooter for exactly this offense.

He had ‘A’ category .22 rifles with silencers fitted – requiring a tool to remove them.

The Police used a tool to remove them and then charged him with having pistols.

But now Police are telling us that they need more time to ask themselves what their policy is.

How are honest citizens supposed to navigate this insanity?

Seriously – think about this.

The Police are HIDING the policy that we need to follow to avoid jail!!!

In other nations a barrel shroud is sometimes permanently fitted – see below. This protects the suppressor from knocks and maintains the permanently minimum length even when taken down for maintenance.

Under NZ Police policy the length stops at the end of the rifling and so it doesn’t count. Even if wielded in place. Needing a hacksaw to remove.

The author had a heavy barrel .22 with the end turned down and a silencer system installed. Even though this was one piece of original barrel – it would not count as length either.

The NZ Police interpretation is bizarre and nonsensical.

It is also illegal.

An ‘E’ Category rifle is a category all its own.

It is not a pistol. Or a rifle. Or a shotgun.

It has its own identifying features and its own rules and this makes the minimum length applied to other categories academic anyway. Being granted an ‘E’ endorsement comes with privileges. Folding a stock for transport is one.

The most infuriating thing of all is that this is a solution looking for a problem.

The Kiwi Gun Blog has already identified where the real problem is.

We have asked Police:

1. How many licensed firearm owners with ‘E’ category endorsements have been convicted of committing serious offences with MSSA rifles featuring length reducing stocks in the last five years?
2. How many of these crimes would not have been possible if the stocks were not capable of folding / telescoping to a shorter carry length?
3. How many unlicensed firearm users have been convicted of committing serious offences with MSSA rifles featuring length reducing stocks in the last five years.
4. How many of these crimes would not have been possible if the stocks were not capable of folding / telescoping to a shorter carry length?

Place your bets team.

Of course no compensation is offered to shooters who invest in equipment based on the written policy of the Police.

This is the clearest example yet of why Police should have management of the Arms Act taken from them.

Update

20.8.18

We just received this reply from ‘Mr.Transparency’:

Yes.

The Police are actually refusing to tell us their policy.

But if we get it wrong – we go to prison.

A case is pending for exactly that – right now.

Some poor old guy in his seventies.

 

Contact the IPCA to complain. We have.

enquiries@ipca.govt.nz

We have also asked the Police Commissioner for help.

However we never hear from him and suspect that he may in fact be dead and Police are concealing this fact.

mike.bush@police.govt.nz

We have referred the matter to the Ombudsman but Stuart Nash – the Police Minister – refuses to investigate the matter.

UPDATE 19.9.18

Shooters who had complained to the Ombudsman about this situation received the following letter today:

Oh look…

“Will soon be publicly available” has now become “HAS BEEN publicly available”.

So Police have indeed flip flopped yet AGAIN.

Police will now NOT be including the length of any muzzle device – no matter how permanently attached.

Despite making clear to public meetings – plural – that they would.

Despite putting this policy in writing and asking for it to be forwarded about.

This is an utter farce. A dangerous one at that.

Once again – NO information campaign has followed this last change.