Police minister Judith Collins has signalled that police cars will soon carry guns - but stopped short of saying all police officers should be armed.

The shooting of Senior Constable Bruce Lamb and Constable Mitchel Alatalo during a routine call-out in Christchurch in July highlighted the risks officers face from offenders who are armed, Ms Collins said.

She reiterated her stance on arming police - saying she was ''not convinced'' they should not routinely carry guns. But she said she would support having lock-boxes for handguns in the front of police vehicles.

Police commissioner Howard Broad is working on proposals that ensure officers have firearms close at hand and will report back at the end of the year.

Greg O'Connor, president of the Police Association, said lock-boxes for pistols in police cars were an option, but ''not a great one.''

''They are a halfway house,'' he said.

The debate was about ''general availability versus general arming'' but his members hadn't yet made up their minds.

''What we do know is the status quo is not an option, as far as arming,'' he said. ''We are talking about nine police officers shot in two years, that is the basis of this discussion. There is not the need for change for change's sake.

''We will make our decision later in the week. We don't want to be out there demanding. We want to our decision rational.''

Police Commissioner Howard Broad will be addressing the conference tomorrow.

P OFFENCES, SEIZURES RISE

Ms Collins also revealed the number of P-related offences have risen by 15 per cent this year.

The amount of methamphetamine seized in 2010 to 30 July is up 140 percent compared to the same period in 2009. There was also a 17 percent increase in apprehensions, she said.

And almost $30m worth of assets has been seized in a crackdown on organised crime in the last year.

The Criminal Proceeds (Recovery) Act, which came into force at the end of last year, means police only have only to prove that the assets were connected to criminal activity.

The owner must then prove their belongings have been legally acquired.

The seized assets are now in the hands of the Official Assignee awaiting further legal proceedings and orders, she said.

Ms Collins said an estimated $30.6 million worth of assets are being investigated as a result of methamphetamine offending.

And police are holding a further $7.8 million worth of assets that were seized under other legislation.

Police have been very busy making life a misery for New Zealand's underbelly, Ms Collins told the New Zealand Police Association Conference in Wellington this morning.

"Armed with new powers to intercept gang communications, dismantle gang fortifications and seize property from criminals, police have tackled the gangs head on.

"The number of clan labs closed down is also up. Many of these labs have been found as a result of nationally co-ordinated investigations that are targeting organised crime," Ms Collins said.