“It is purely a matter of luck that we do not have one or two injured or killed officers,” he said.

“Had the alleged shooter not had the safety catch on his firearm, or if he’d had time to take off the catch before attempting to fire the second time, this frightening incident could have been so much worse.”

Mr Cahill said he is relieved the officers were not injured, and the association is doing all it can to support them.

“We are so proud of these officers who responded so professionally in saving themselves and still managing to arrest the offender,” he said.

However he said politicians and the wider community should take this as a wake-up call.

“It is exactly the sort of incident the association has been speaking of with respect to the proliferation of illegal firearms in our communities,” he said.

“Unfortunately this was not a surprise.  These close calls happen regularly because there are so many offenders out there with firearms. I am worried when our luck is going to run out.”

Mr Cahill said he is also concerned that these officers were taking a Taser to a gunfight.

“We know that Tasers are not always effective. They are an excellent deterrent in situations where officers are confronted by offenders armed with weapons including knives, but they are no match for firearms.  In this case they worked and that is a relief.”

“Our officers do not go to work to be shot at.  It should never be just part of the job,” Mr Cahill said.