In 2024, Police recorded 7741 Tactical Options Report (TOR) events – where an officer has used force. While that was nearly unchanged from 2023 (7758), it follows a sustained increase since 2018 showing that constant threats still remain for frontline police officers.

Officers used a tactical option (empty hand, baton, restraints, OC spray, dog, Taser, sponge round and/or firearm) in just 0.3% of all attended events – one TOR event for every 338 police-public interactions. 

Yet, the risk profile of these events remains high. Violence offences continue to dominate, with one TOR event for every 25 violence-related incidents attended, the highest rate across all event types.

On average, in one out of every 13 TOR events, a Police staff member was injured, slightly lower than the 2023 rate (one per 12 TOR events). In the custody environment, the rate was identical, with a staff member injured in one out of every 13 TOR events. 

In total, 554 staff sustained 688 injuries at 590 TOR events (8% of TOR events) in 2024. Of the injuries sustained, 13% were moderate and 9% were serious.

Weapons and gangs

The operational environment is increasingly shaped by the presence of weapons. In 2024:

• 1331 TOR events involved armed subjects, including 139 with firearms.
• Firearms were used against police in 19 incidents; eight of those uses involved a discharge (42%). Imitation firearms were also presented at police in three further incidents.
• Deployments of the armed offenders squad dropped to 1609 in 2024, after rising steadily since at least 2015, peaking in 2023 at 1789 callouts.
• Gang members, who comprise just 0.2% of the population, were involved in 10% of TOR events – a rate 50 times higher than their population share.
• Gang-affiliated subjects were over four times more likely to be armed with firearms than non-gang subjects.

The figures underscore the elevated threat level officers face, particularly in gang-related incidents. Tactical responses reflect this reality: police officers were more likely to deploy Tasers and firearms in gang-related TOR events, while empty hand tactics were used less frequently.

Most used, most harmful

Empty hand tactics were used in 39% of TOR events in 2024 (similar to the previous four years), making them the most common tactical option. However, they also accounted for:

• 40% of subject injuries (473 injuries; one injury for every seven uses).
• 73% of staff injuries (432 injuries; one injury for every two uses in “staff-injury TOR events”).

“Empty hand tactics are very often the most appropriate tactical option… but there may be an opportunity for further improvement to ensure that staff are enabled with the most appropriate tactics that also minimise harm,” the annual report says.

The finding challenges assumptions that empty hand tactics are inherently less severe than Taser or OC Spray, which have significantly lower injury rates (1 injury per 75 and 25 uses, respectively).

Vulnerability still a challenge

Mental health was reported as a relevant factor in 15% of TOR events, and the subject was reported as being suicidal in 7%. These rates are consistent with 2023.

While the 197 mental health (1M) and 181 suicide-related (1X) events in 2024 represent just 5% of TOR events, the broader impact is significant:

• Combined, 19% of TOR events involved subjects assessed as experiencing mental distress or suicidal ideation.
• Handcuffs and restraints were used more frequently in these events, often to prevent self-harm. OC spray, dogs and firearms were used less frequently.

Interestingly, Māori and Pacific peoples were underrepresented in 1M and 1X events relative to Ministry of Health data, hinting at potential gaps in engagement or systemic barriers to accessing Police support during mental health crises.

 

Implications and planning

The report concludes with a blunt assessment that Police Association members well know: “Every use of force also comes with a risk of harm, both to the subjects and the officers involved.”

To improve outcomes, Police says, it uses the vast amount of information recorded in TOR events to inform officers’ capability requirements. 

“NZ Police is constantly working to make it safer for [all] New Zealanders… this means ongoing training and skills development, and equipping officers for the specific demands of the high-risk environment they work in.”

One key initiative to support this is the rollout of the Taser 10 to replace the X2 model. This is expected to be completed by September 2026.