A top policeman in New Zealand has shared advice about confronting armed fugitives following the death of father Tom Phillips.

Police Association President Chris Cahill pointed out the similarities between the search for Phillips, who evaded capture in New Zealand with his three children for four years, and the current manhunt for accused police officer murderer Dezi Freeman.

Freeman, a 56-year-old who identifies as a ‘sovereign citizen’, has been avoiding capture in dense forest since allegedly shooting three officers at his property in Porepunkah, Victoria’s High Country, on August 26.

Senior Constable Vadim de Waart-Hottart, aged 35, and Detective Neal Thompson, aged 59, lost their lives, and a third officer was severely injured while attempting to deliver Freeman a warrant.

On Wednesday, Mr. Cahill called on Australians to notice the commonalities between the efforts to locate Freeman and Phillips, who police fatally shot on Monday.

‘I was in Victoria, Australia, attending the funeral for the two fallen police officers there. They’re grappling with similar challenges in tracking down the gunman in Victoria,’ Mr. Cahill mentioned to Radio New Zealand.

‘According to my colleagues in New South Wales, they dealt with a gunman who was on the loose for around five years. They employed trail cameras to follow him due to his dangerous nature and the perilous terrain.’

Mr Cahill explained that while the manhunt may ‘sound really easy’, officers are dealing with an allegedly dangerous man and have to ‘assume the worst’.

NZ Police have highlighted the similarities in the searches for slain fugitive Tom Phillips and alleged cop killer Dezi Freeman (pictured, a missing poster for Phillips and his children)

Dezi Freeman (pictured) allegedly shot three police officers, killing two, on August 26

‘Obviously, we would have liked a safer outcome for everyone, but Mr Phillips was the one who decided how that was going to end,’ he said.

‘There’ll be more scrutiny of that to come, but I think the outcome shows why police have been so cautious.’

Almost 500 police, trackers and specialist units have been deployed in the massive operation to find Freeman, which entered its third week on Wednesday. 

Similarly to Phillips’ case, Freeman is considered a skilled outdoorsman and is believed to be hiding in deep, remote bushland.

His eldest son, Koah, last week told The Australian his father had the skills to survive in the bush for an extended time. 

‘I’m not sure if you have ever seen the movie Rambo, especially the first Rambo movie, it’s like that but 10 times capacity,’ he said.

‘The Mount Buffalo National Park is his second home. He’s been there since he was 16 just going hiking in places no man has ever stepped foot in.

‘At this stage, I think he’s probably deceased. I haven’t got any explanation for that, but at this stage, to have no trace, it’s a bit unbelievable.’

Police have spent more than two weeks searching dense bushland for Freeman (pictured, officers searching a property)

Freeman’s eldest son, Koah (pictured), admitted his father had the skills to survive in the bush for an extended time

However, Koah on Monday admitted his father could already be dead. 

He was trying now to get back to some form of ‘good’ normality in the wake of the horror and move on with his life while the search continues.

‘I’m still in the heat of it. I’ve just accepted the worst, that’s it,’ Koah told Daily Mail.

‘I’m doing regular s***, going back to work and stuff to take my mind off it.’ 

Police have already searched more than 100 properties in the surrounding towns and received hundreds of tips since announcing a $1million reward for information leading to Freeman’s arrest.