With violent crime at high levels is CS Spray and a Baton simply not enough now?
Or do UK police like the idea of being an unarmed service?
2006-09-01 12:17:08 · 19 answers · asked by Anonymous in Politics & Government ➔ Law Enforcement & Police
First point I would like to make is that Criminals already are armed, usually to threaten people, defend themselves against other gangs/criminals and lastly to effect an escape from police.I think its rather naive to say that criminals will arm up to match police, does that mean they say oh I'll just take the baton and cs spray tonight for the armed robbery as the coppers don't carry guns and that would be unfair?The weapons being used by criminals today are not just firearms, they carry edged weapons, tasers, and CS spray etc.
Sally J suggested they police should not be armed in case one goes rogue and kills people because he had an argument with the wife?? Not sure how that is a valid reason not arm police officers.
Also if a police officer does not have the right mental balance to carry a firearm why are we giving them CS spray, a baton, handcuffs and the power of arrest, should we not be giving them a medical retirement on mental grounds?
Police are arriving at situations they are not prepared for, PC Sharon Beshenivsky, 38, a mother of three children and two stepchildren was such officer who was murdered and her colleague seriously injured, if they had been armed it might have saved PC Beshenivsky life. This is just one case in the extreme, but how many police officers are seriously assaulted each year?
I think with the current global climate of terrorism and the increasing gun and violence culture within the UK the British Bobby may well have to be armed, and it will not be optional for those officers who oppose it. So work out now which one is your master eye and go collect your ear and eye protection and dress forward to 10m mark!!!
2006-09-02 11:02:22 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋
Regretably and against the wishes of many of our Decent and Responsible Police Force , it now seems unavoidable , the Gun and Knife Culture is putting many Lives at risk, leaving little or no option , perhaps if more serious thought and care had been applied we wouldn,t have allowed the "Invasion" of the Trash now infesting our Cities , Towns, Hamlets and every other part of our country , avoiding the need for such a regretable need to Arm Our Police
2006-09-01 23:34:31 · answer #2 · answered by ? 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I am a police officer and I do not want to be armed. I feel the media are to blame for making high profile stories out of officers who do get shot in the line of duty. It is a terrible thing to happen - but then civilians also get shot.
So does that mean that EVERYONE should be armed?
There are strict guidelines for arming police in this country. Not only is their training strict, but their mental balance must be considered also. After all, we don't want a rogue cop going around shooting innocent people just because he had an argument with his wife do we? Think of the scandal.
And as for Tommy, well, I think you are the one who is thick - open your eyes and your mind.
2006-09-01 22:51:54 · answer #3 · answered by Sally J 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋
NO. I refuse to believe that anything is worth the use of a gun.
A few years ago I was fascinated with guns but now I believe taking human life is not even a last resort, it's a sin.
What the police need is more power in order to do their jobs. At present they are restricted by ur "hippy" PM and his "criminalistic" Parliament. They need freedom to operate, away from paperwork and scrutiny.
2006-09-01 12:30:56 · answer #4 · answered by Knight-wing 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
The second you arm the police is the day that most would retire. It will step up violence and gun culture in this country would spiral out of control. Most coppers can tlak their way out of the situations they are in, a few tal themselves into trouble. There is respect for the police , but at what point do you stop raising the bar to the criminals. Police get guns, criminals do. Police need armoured vehicles, criminals get armour piercing rounds. If it is gonna happen it will happen, but It would be a damn shame!
2006-09-01 12:25:17 · answer #5 · answered by Simon B 2 · 0⤊ 1⤋
It is never time to arm the police. There is nothing to say that it would cut down crime. It's sort of like thinking that the death penalty is a deterrent, which there is no evidence of either. Violence just breeds violence. Arming the police would lead to more armed criminals, not less.
2006-09-01 12:29:47 · answer #6 · answered by little_jo_uk 4 · 0⤊ 1⤋
As the mother of a police officer I do not think ALL police officers should be armed with fire arms, however they should all be armed with stun guns - tazars that are ready to use. The only one that are available to them at the moment have to be 'put together' before they are used as they are not aloud to carry them ready to use. Ridiculous don't you think?
2006-09-01 12:25:06 · answer #7 · answered by janice 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
If the police were armed what difference would that make? More (all) criminals would carry guns and there would be more violence against the police. Anyone who is going to shoot a police officer would do so whether they were armed or not.
2006-09-01 12:20:55 · answer #8 · answered by Mordent 7 · 1⤊ 1⤋
The British Police like the idea of doing nothing! They are the most expensive waste of time in thiis country, today!
2006-09-01 12:33:05 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 1⤋
We always follow what the U.S.A has cant we be different we managed without the use of weapons all this time its better being unarmed then proberly be easier to get a hold off if we had more of them we only got rid of guns has what happened in DUNBLAIN NNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
2006-09-01 12:43:20 · answer #10 · answered by BUDDXX 2 · 0⤊ 1⤋