Tasmania Police Association assistant secretary Andrew Bennett said providing Tasmania Police with the necessary equipment meant they would be able to do their jobs better. 

The union called for first responders to have tactical, military-style weapons available for active armed offender incidents on Tuesday, in response to the terror attack in the New Zealand city of Christchurch. 

"If a perpetrator has this type of weapon, they can be accurate up to a distance of 300 metres. Tasmania Police officers only carry pistols with an accurate range of around 10 metres," Mr Bennett said. 

"We need our members to be provided with the safest work place possible."

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The union envisioned the rifles would be kept under lock and key in police vehicles.

Mr Bennett said first responders were appropriately trained to deal with situations like what unfolded in Christchurch, but training alone was not enough. 

"Basic risk management principles tell you to try and eliminate the risk. This is not possible for policing - so policies, tactics and training are developed," he said.

"Anyone with knowledge of risk management training will tell you the hierarchy of controls requires this and the last thing you do to treat a risk is provide Personal Protective Equipment."

Mr Bennett said mitigating risk was behind the union advocating for a long-arm solution.