Police officers and others... what do you think about guns?

Question

It seems that the experience of a police officer would vary greatly. For example, in Australia we don't have many guns around, and (no surprise) less shootings!!

What do you American police officers think about the prevalence of guns in your society? To me, it seems like a really bad idea.

My problem with guns is that their 'point and click' interface is a little to convenient in an urban setting. It would be interesting, as one answerer suggested, to check out all of the factors.

I just don't see the need, at least in my country, to own a gun for home defense. I think sporting shooting is great, hunting is fine (especially if you eat it.)

It just seems like there are a lot of shootings in the US, thats all!!! Surely none of you, or the police can be too happy about that!!

Answer 1

America as you know is much different from Australia, as are it people. We cannot hold America to the same standards at which you would hold Australians to without defeating American ideology. Guns have been prevalent in America since its foundation. In fact so it was written in to our rights as citizens to own them. Police officers in our country have to carry weapons due to the fact that most of the criminal element is armed with some type of weapon at the time of arrest. This offers the officer a better chance of maintain control over the intended target.(Criminals) It would be Utopia to believe that guns would be taken off the streets and used for private and governmental purpose only, but unrealistic. Many police officers rarely use there service weapon in there careers outside of monthly qualification, but simply having the weapon and the training for that weapon gives them a stronger presence on the streets. Guns don't kill people; People kill people. Education is the key to gun safety.

Answer 2

well in other countries like england where guns are illegal you still have high violent crime. the tool does not make the craftsman. personally love having firearms. i get to hunt and shoot trap and all i need is a simple to get licence that i can buy at the sporting goods shop. so i think you also need to look at population densities and rerun your regression. more people leads to more shootings in a far better correlation than if the country has some restriction on guns.

Answer 3

properly, i'm able to allow you to recognize it really is i have offered various guns from police officials and that i have also offered some to them. maximum imagine that guns are an substantial evil and pastime protection. with out guns, threat free civilians change into victims and subsequently meaning a lot less taxes and a lot less money going into the policeman's money.

Answer 4

If police officers didn't have guns...criminals (with guns) tend run rampant over the rule of law. Armed criminal activity would be much higher in places where police didn't have guns.

It levels the playing field. What's your problem with guns?

We're not happy about it either...it's just a necessary fact of life.

Answer 5

I think that it's a really bad idea to impose the belief that it is better to be unarmed when all of the criminals couldn't give a rats as*s about you, the police or each other for that matter... or even your children playing on the street!

It is dangerous to assume that they will lay down their arms just because you think it's a bad idea to carry them. Sometimes altruism can't change the world...

Criminals are NOT rational, compassionate or activists for or against anything but violence! and you, being in the way of them getting what they want, unarmed and unable to protect yourself is heaven for them.

Don't be stupid! Carry a legally issued gun that you are proactively trained to use!

Guns don't kill people... People kill people! And you had better best believe if one of these "People" has one to my face... they better realize that I am not afraid to use the one hidden in my purse to protect myself of my family!

Just yesterday my family and I had to suffer through the damn Walmart to get plants for some landscaping we are doing and there was this punked out White rapper wanna be on his cell phone talking trash to someone... Sure enough he starts taking off his chains, taking off his shirt and in come two or three other punk white rapper wanna be wonders trying to start a fight right there in front of me and my kids and anyone else in line.

They didn't care and if one or more of them would have pulled a gun and been too stupid to care about my kids... BELIEVE ME I would have been the first to kill either of them any way I could... Even with Lawn furniture if I had to! IN A HEART BEAT... no thought involved, no compassion, no consideration... and when it comes to me and my children... NO PROBLEM!

P.S. No Police officers of Security guards in sight... Just innocent customers and children against a bunch of idiots!

Answer 6

what seems to be a bad idea is letting guns on planes, or in other secure areas. That is just silly, no good could come of it. As for in the general population, well, they say guns dont kill people but bullets do, and i think that it would be a lot harder to kill some innocent bystanders if they had to fight it out with clubs.

Answer 7

Police need to be strict and effective

I see people walk all over them in the Uk because they know they can get away with it

Police need to be armed and have authority to Kick the **** outta Violent Teenagers and stuff

Answer 8

Here in rural America we have our guns and criminals stay away. The criminals with bad intentions go after the defenseless, not the well-defended!

We'll keep our guns, thank you very much!

Answer 9

i like guns i collect them but i don't trust them in the hands of police officers. they shot first and ask questions later and people don't really get mad about it unless it's a white kid that gets shot. like it did here in nc. black people get shot it's just another day.

Answer 10

i love guns and we have a right to have them