A friend of the man holed up inside a house in Taranaki says she is worried someone is going to get shot.
The stand-off on Achilles Street, where the man is holed up at an address, began after a vehicle fled from police, and shots were fired at officers last night.
The car was ditched on State Highway 3 north of the address, and a cordon remains in place around both locations.
Marama, who did not give a last name, said the man was already known to police.
She said she spoke to him on the phone earlier today.
"I spoke to him early on. See it's that gun, you get that gun out of that house, then you just throw it out and then really they have no reason to being firing at you."
Marama said she just wanted him out safely.
Neighbours on a Stratford street said they could hear police telling the man to come out.
Paul Stratton said he heard two or three gunshots, but did not recognise what they were at the time.
He said although he could not see much, he could hear the police telling the man to come out and think of his family.
Earlier today a Stratford primary school went into lockdown near where the police were in a standoff with the man.
An Avon School spokesperson said they had been in lockdown since 8.45am after a call from police.
The cordon on Celia Street, Stratford. Photo: RNZ / Robin Martin
St Joseph's Catholic School principal Dave Smith said they also went into lockdown around 8:30am, but came out of lockdown in the last hour.
He said the children were happy and safe, and lessons had resumed.
Stratton said the police had not knocked on his door but other neighbours had been told to stay inside.
No injuries have been reported.
Traffic blocked at Stratford, Taranaki, during the police operation. Photo: RNZ / Robin Martin