STARTING OUT: New police chief Peter Marshall during his second day on the job, at police headquarters, in Wellington.

New police commissioner Peter Marshall wants to see Tasers in every patrol car, as well as firearms.

On day two in his new job yesterday, Mr Marshall said he would not bow to pressure for guns on every police officer's hip, but he had a "very strong desire" to see rifles, pistols and stun guns placed in locked safes in operational cars.

"If any police officer requires firearms, day or night, he or she shall have it. It makes no sense to me that a Taser, which is a less-lethal option, is not immediately available."

There are strict regulations about when and how the force's 700 or so electro-shock weapons can be used.

"We have 3000 officers who are trained in Taser use, and there is a procedure to go through ... which is understandable. A little more realism around that would certainly be welcomed by the frontline staff."

The Police Association has been pushing for routine arming, after the shooting of nine officers in two years. But Mr Marshall is ruling this out.

"Nothing ... convinces me general arming is going to result in a safer public or indeed safer police officers.

"There will be more instances of firearms taken off police and used against them. There would be more inquiries into the conduct of the police as a result.

"And there would be trust and confidence issues around the police."

Association president Greg O'Connor said the majority of officers were in favour of routine arming.

Mr Marshall also dismissed calls for a change in police policy on fleeing drivers. Instead he will ask Police Minister Judith Collins for tougher penalties. Late last year she asked previous commissioner Howard Broad for his recommendations.

Mr Marshall said: "At the end of the day the buck stops with the driver. What I would be interested in discussing with the minister is the possibility that on conviction ... there is a short, sharp period of incarceration, that there is a seizure of a vehicle and there is a lengthy period of disqualification.

"This is a discussion that is yet to be had. But ... it is something that might be worthy of a conversation before too long."

Ms Collins said at the weekend that she wanted to see more women in the force. Although Mr Marshall agrees, he said: "I'm not going to promote a person – a male or a female – because we want to mix up gender. They will be promoted on their merits."

He is spending his first week meeting staff in Canterbury and Hawke's Bay.

On Monday, about 250 staff held a welcome ceremony for Mr Marshall and new deputy commissioner Mike Bush at police headquarters in Wellington.

Mr Marshall also had his first weekly meeting with Ms Collins.

"My relationship with her has been down to earth ... very frank and very cordial."