Should British Police be armed.

[Mad Cyril]

If it's not bolted to the floor it's a weapon


That's the way I look at it.

I expect resourceful police officers agree.

 

[Beefy]

I'm pleased you have such confidence in our guys in blue. However as he was armed, so Britain he could have just pointed the gun and asked them to kindly step aside. Which brings me back to the original point.

I don't agree with OBL's point which seems to rely on hindsight, but he drove up and parked that truck 12 hours before the attack. Had he pointed his gun at an officer then then he wouldn't have been in a position to kill 80 people 12 hours later.

 

[londonblue]

I'm pleased you have such confidence in our guys in blue. However as he was armed, so Britain he could have just pointed the gun and asked them to kindly step aside. Which brings me back to the original point.

That's the point for me. I don't have confidence in our guys in blue, and that's why I don't want them armed.

 

[OldBlueLady]

That's the point for me. I don't have confidence in our guys in blue, and that's why I don't want them armed.

I think you do them a dis-service with that comment. How many do you know? We have a number of police officer friends, including one in SO19. I don't think they should all be armed, but I have no problems with properly trained officers with a number of years service being added to the numbers of armed officers.

 

[Napster]

I think you do them a dis-service with that comment. How many do you know?

Straying into anecdotal territory again. Personally, it matters not. I question authority and their use of any violence. Arming police will be the thin end of a very large wedge.

 

[londonblue]

I think you do them a dis-service with that comment. How many do you know? We have a number of police officer friends, including one in SO19. I don't think they should all be armed, but I have no problems with properly trained officers with a number of years service being added to the numbers of armed officers.

I don't know any personally, but that isn't the point. They're human beings, they make mistakes.

 

[Bolton Shrimper]

Yes, I think all police officers should have arms.............................and legs. :hilarious:

On a serious note, IMHO, given the way the world is now there should be many, many more armed police but not all of them. The threats we face must not be underestimated.

 

[rigsby]

That's the point for me. I don't have confidence in our guys in blue, and that's why I don't want them armed.

What would you suggest. If we doubled or trebled their pay, would we get a much better quality of recruit.

 

[londonblue]

What would you suggest. If we doubled or trebled their pay, would we get a much better quality of recruit.

Wouldn't make any difference. They'd still be human.

 

[southendkid]

I'd rather take the opinion of the actual police over members of the public who don't really know the realities of the job. A recent poll showed only 20% of police officers wanted to be armed with a gun despite 35% saying they were attacked at least once a month.

(I'd take the comments of Steve White saying the figure was so low because officers are afraid of being 'hung out to dry' with a pinch of salt though. If he truly believed that was true it seems odd he didn't think to include a question about it on the survey. it stinks of someone who set up the poll expecting one result and is hurriedly trying to twist the outcome when it wasn't what he expected so that he can still justify his calls for more guns.)

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/u...r-shortage-of-firearms-officers-a7030966.html

 

[rigsby]

Wouldn't make any difference. They'd still be human.

You said you have no confidence in the police. So do you think any of them should be armed?

What about the ones who confronted Lee Rigby's murderers, did they make a mistake.

 

[ozzie]

i remember having this "debate" when at school,1966..!!Bloody hell
The end result was,if i remember correctly was...its the POLICE officers who carry the BRUNT of the problems-troubles,normally one of the first there...so if the POLICE dont wish to be armed,then they should not be.
But sadly things have changed now

 

[Chalky]

Yes, they should be armed. There duty is to protect the public. How can they protect the public if a person is armed and dangerous and the police are not?

 

[Yorkshire Blue]

I suppose arming the police is one way to get rid of Brazilian electricians.

 

[Massimo Giovanni]

I suppose arming the police is one way to get rid of Brazilian electricians.

And you still believe it was a policeman that shot him?


#innocentasnewbornlamb

 

[RHB]

Police forces across the country have armed response vehicles patrolling the streets. They are there to provide rapid response to officers if the call comes. There are high visibility armed police at all of the major UK airports and London appears to have armed officers on view all over the Capitol. Someone mentioned earlier that a poll of police officers showed that the majority don't want to be armed. Add to that the fact that neither the Police Federation nor the various Chief Constables have made a case for more armed officers, and I think the overall view from the Forces is no thank you.

It's a tough job being a copper these days (it always has been) as you never know what to expect, but there again they never did. Now days they carry tazers and sprays in addition to their batons so, together with their technology, they are better equipped. I tend to the view that if they aren't pushing for more guns on the streets, then neither am I.

 

[Jam_Man]

Yes, they should be armed. There duty is to protect the public. How can they protect the public if a person is armed and dangerous and the police are not?

They are rarely armed with guns though.

Instances where you need a gun carrying officer are rare, I dont see the logic in arming every single one of them for those rare events.

And you still believe it was a policeman that shot him?


#innocentasnewbornlamb

Whoever it was, still proves that gun carriers can shoot unarmed people dead by mistake.

 

[rigsby]

They are rarely armed with guns though.

Instances where you need a gun carrying officer are rare, I dont see the logic in arming every single one of them for those rare events.



Whoever it was, still proves that gun carriers can shoot unarmed people dead by mistake.

I think most people would agree to that.

The point I was making when I mentioned the Nice incident was that if it was say the Air Show in Southend, then none of the police manning any barriers would be armed. We would have no chance of stopping a lorry even if it went the length of the sea front turned round and had another go.

One armed response car even with four officers would struggle to have any effect.

 

[Up the Shrimpers]

I think most people would agree to that.

The point I was making when I mentioned the Nice incident was that if it was say the Air Show in Southend, then none of the police manning any barriers would be armed. We would have no chance of stopping a lorry even if it went the length of the sea front turned round and had another go.

One armed response car even with four officers would struggle to have any effect.

Maybe that's why Southend does not have an air show anymore!

 

[Benfleet A1]

I suppose arming the police is one way to get rid of Brazilian electricians.

Does that work with Armenian plumbers as well?