Should british police carry guns?

Answer 1

yes police in n ireland carry arms

Answer 2

British police do carry guns and I suspect in many more cases than we are led to believe. A few years ago I would have said no but we are getting like the States now where there are a lot more guns on the streets. In a lot of cities young blacks carry guns because it gives them "respect". Although this is a load of nonsense it is the way they think and it is obviously very dangerous. I would like to see anyone carrying a gun given a 10 year prison sentence without any chance of early release. If the Government is not prepared to do something like this then I reluctantly agree our police should carry guns. It is no good being faced by a drug crazed yob carrying a gun when you only have a truncheon in your hand. In Birmingham we have had many drive past shootings. It is always black people and normally drug related. Let them shoot each other by all means but it puts the innocent bystanders at terrible risk. If the police are armed they of course must have proper training.

Answer 3

The question isn't really 'if' but 'when' will they carry guns because it is innevitable eventually. The fact of the matter is that police officers get shot at all the time and it doesn't make the news, just as most of the murders that happen in London whether gun related or not don't even make the local papers.

Firearms officers in London on average respond to over 3000 calls a year. Considering that and the number of shots which have actually been fired over the past few years, it is clear that they certainly don't have a "Gung-ho" attitude.

There is a sharp increase in gun related crime at the moment, and recently more and more shootings have been occuring. The latest fashion accessory amongst youths these days is starting to move slowly from knives and towards guns, styled after their icons such as 50-Cent etc. It is not uncommon to find youths in possession of anything from a semi automatic baretta to a MAC-10 machine pistol.

For reponse officers or 'Bobbies on the beat' confronted with a gunman there is little or no hope, with a potential wait of up to around 20 minutes or more for armed support if another inident is taking place somewhere else at the same time. It is true that police federation polls show that most officers do not want to be armed, however it will only take a few more deaths on duty like that of PC Sharon Beschnevsky before the risk assesment for response officers dictates that it is no longer safe for officers to patrol unarmed.

The public seem to resent that day because they see the arming of there police service as being the start of a decline into a society much like in the united states, and that as such many more officer related shootings will occur. The thing to remember though is that in the US everyone is legally allowed to own firearms. You would do better to consider the police forces of France, Germany, Italy, or any of the other police forces in countries with laws similar to ours on the posession of firearms. Endlessly comparing UK policing to that of the US serves no purpose in this kind of debate, especially since our country is one of only two I believe in the world which does not routinely arm its police.

Make no mistake ladies and gents, it is coming. The only question is when and how many more Police Officers will lose their lives first.

Answer 4

the simple answer to this question is without special training the British police are not prepared to carry firearms. However the training that SO19 officers receive is very extensive and to a very high quality. The police in Northern Ireland have routinely carried firearms for their own protection for many years due to the troubles in the province.

The high profile case of john menezez (spelling?) is a case in point. the officers shouted the obligatary warning of "stop, Armed police" he then continued to try to get away from these officers. lets face it anyone with nothing to hide hearing the words "armed police" would stop and answer the questions with a very polite sir attatched to each answer.

To call the police Gung Ho is wrong and frankly insulting and to refute one of the answers to this question there are more times when firearms units are present and no shots are fired than the frantic shootouts that people seem to fear.

also any time that an officer is involved in a shooting a full inquiry is undertaken and the officer is suspended until the inquiry is completed. the idea of the police being above the law is a myth peddeled by action movies and left wing media.

Answer 5

When you say British i take it you mean English/Scottish and Welsh, because as stated the Police in Northern Ireland carry weapons and have done for years, and before the changes(I mean the government completely f******G up the RUC) they were the best police force in the world.
But now days with the recruitment in the British Police i don;t think i would like to see Police carry weapons. it is a very inferior police force now as there are no real restrictions as to who can get in. Well sorry they don't let the decent people in, it is all about ethnic and religious balance. Who cares about the quality!!.

Answer 6

For general police work firearms aren't necessary as most of the general public aren't armed.Many police officers wouldn't like to carry such things let alone use one.How far would the responsibility go-does this include PCSO's and what about the Special Constabulary? Specials have the same powers as a regular officer and a great number now assist in police duties.I'm a Special and I would not relish the responsibility of carrying or having to use a firearm.

Answer 7

In all UK police forces there are trained firearms officers available, and I believe there is always at least one armed response vehicle on call in each force area. Where guns are necessary, at embassies, major airports, etc., the police do carry visible weapons. But the British police has always been a non gun carrying force, and in a recent survey the majority of policemen still do not wish to carry arms. The trouble with routinely armed police is that, inevitably, accidents will happen and innocent people will get hurt or killed. Hence, on balance, and despite the increased incidence of 'black on black' gun crime, I personally wish to see the UK police remain unarmed.

Answer 8

I think the system as it stands is fine, if there is a firearms incident specialist firearms officers are deployed. When they are not dealing with firearms incidents they are used as an additional resource. If the police are given guns I personally think the amount of criminals who carry guns will increase as they will believe they should have a "fair fight". at present officers are provided with pava spray which most find effective in normal situations and a baton if needed. A lot of forces have also issued taser guns to firearms officers adding yet another non lethal method to provent offenders with weapons which decreases the amount of situations where they have to draw a firearm. surely this is the best way and should stay the best way, if they are given guns it will turn into america where every situation appears to be resolved by drawing a weapon when they stop someone...im not saying what happens in america is wrong as there are greater amounts of firearm possesions there but whilst things are working here i think they should stay that way

Answer 9

There are police carrying guns. They have requirements for carry such as 20/20 vision uncorrected. But for the average bobbie, probably not. Some of the bobbies I've spoken with are very opposed to carrying guns.

Answer 10

The police in the UK have all the firepower they need at their disposal already. True, most do not carry side arms, but the police can gain access to a gun quite rapidly if the situation calls upon it.

Remember, if you want the police to carry guns at all times, you are telling the state that use of lethal force against its citizens can potentially be the first option on every encounter. This should not be.

Answer 11

British Police do carry guns - more often that most of us would like to think.

Should the beat bobby carry guns? No!! If the specialist training that weapons officers get is anything to go by there will be a massive number of innocents put at risk if this was to happen. In fact I can't remember the last time the Metropolitan Police shot someone they were supposed to!!