New Zealand is one of the few countries in the world where police don't carry firearms while on day-to-day duty, although weapons are kept in squad cars for use in emergencies and with authorisation.

Since the shooting that killed 50 people in Christchurch on March 15, patrolling officers have watched over public areas and events across the country carrying large Bushmaster M4 rifles.

They've taken steps such as putting flowers on their uniforms, with authorities assuring a public unaccustomed to seeing firearms that their continued presence is a precaution.

With the nation's threat rating set to high for the first time ever, police say it may be some time before they disarm.

"While we're in that national high threat level, all frontline staff will be armed. We'll look at reassessing that if and when the threat level changes," Police Commissioner Mike Bush told Radio New Zealand on Tuesday.

Authorities say they do not believe there is any ongoing threat directly linked to the attack, but that experiences overseas have shown the risk of post-attack copycats and retaliation.

The situation would not go on forever, Bush said.

"I can also reassure you that we will go back to our normal practice and normal stance, we will return to the position of being a routinely unarmed police service."

The government isn't keen on keeping officers armed either.

While it's already announced a ban on military-style rifles and is considering further laws, a spokeswoman for Police Minister Stuart Nash said he did not support the routine arming of officers on an ongoing basis.

"I don't see this as a permanent part of the policing landscape," Nash told TVNZ.

"The police have a number of strategies that they use to really engage proactively with comminutes ... I don't think wearing a gun on your hip necessarily builds trust and confidence."

New Zealand's Police Association - similar to a union representing officers - says it'll take time to mull what all the changes mean for its stance on arming police.

"With the government taking the immediate steps to ban semi-automatics, New Zealand will be a safer place and it may be that the need to general arming may reduce," association president Chris Cahill said.

"But I don't think the time is right to make a clear decision about that."

Cahill said while he understood how Kiwis could find armed police confronting, he had been amazed by the level of public support given.

"Even though those officers were armed with M4 rifles, the public were still going up to them and thanking them," he said.

"Just because an officer has got a firearm, it doesn't mean he or she isn't approachable. They'd rather you come talk to them more than ever, in some ways, just to make them feel a bit more relaxed as well.

"I saw how the people of Christchurch could break that down and it would be good if the rest of the public around New Zealand could as well."

Australian Associated Press