Police broke down the front door of the house on the right during an armed offenders squad operation on Henry Charles Crescent in Napier as part of a hunt for a wanted man.

Hawke's Bay police are still hunting a man who sparked an armed offenders squad callout that forced Napier schools into lockdown.

Armed police descended on Henry Charles Crescent, in the suburb of Onekawa, shortly after 9am on Thursday.

Police said they were searching for a man, who was potentially armed and had been involved in a domestic dispute at Kelvin Pl, in the neighbouring suburb of Maraenui.

GOOGLE MAPS William Colenso College in Napier.

Officers broke down the door and sent a police dog into a flat where they suspected the man was hiding, but found the property empty.

Nearby William Colenso College, and other schools in the area, were told to keep students indoors during the incident, which lasted about two hours.

Police said they completed all inquiries addresses believed to be linked to the man they were hunting "but will continue to look for him".

They said they did not believe he posed a safety risk to the community.

Some Henry Charles Crescent residents said they were phoned by police and told to stay inside and lock their doors while the operation was under way.

Colenso principal Daniel Murfitt said the school had a police officer stationed with them providing updates during the lockdown.