The Police Association says the statistics paint a worrying picture about the sheer volume of firearms now circulating in the criminal underworld.

600 firearms were seized by Auckland police officers in less than a year.

They made the demand at a public meeting in Taradale yesterday, exactly a week after shots were fired during a large gang brawl in the town's centre.

Police figures show there were 278,644 "total victimisations" in the 12 months to November 30, up 7.1 per cent on the year before.