NSW police can soon use long-arm semiautomatic guns

NSW street police will soon have access to M4-style semiautomatic weapons as part of the force’s response to the Lindt cafe siege.

Officers will have access to something like the Colt M4 Carbine rifle.

NSW street police will soon have access to M4-style semiautomatic weapons as part of the force’s response to the Lindt cafe siege.

For the past two years police have been trialling a number of rifle and machinegun styles, including conversion kits to modify the standard-issue Glocks into rifles but have decided to go with the lightweight M4 rifle.

“The tests carried out showing the comparison between an ordinary trained cop using a standard glock compared to the long-arm were staggering,” a NSW officer told The Saturday Telegraph.

“Using a Glock at 25m, 50m and above the ­officer shooting at an active shooter would also hit three other people, whereas with the rifle the shooter was taken out without any innocent bystanders injured at all.”

Police are still in discussions with the makers about the supply of the weapons with an announcement about the brand to be used. M4 makers include Colt and Armwest.

Commissioner Andrew Scipione said this week he would be signing off on the use of long-arms by NSW general duties police before he ­retired in April.

Specially trained units such as counter-terrorism and tactical response already have access to rifles or machineguns.

“It is important we … equip our officers with additional capabilities to deal with the terror environment,” said Deputy Police Commissioner Dave Hudson.

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