Shoud UK Police Officers be armed as a Standard Operating Procedure?

Question

With the recent Shootings in London, Is it about time that all our Police Officers should be compulasary armed with a personal weapon?

Surley its only an amount of time before another Police Officer is killed by gunfire.

Or perhaps you have other ideas?

What are your thoughts on this?

Answer 1

You'll find that the majority of the rank and file on the job don't want to carry firearms. The Police Federation have conducted numerous surveys of their members, who are all serving Police Officers in England and Wales, over the years on this very subject and the overwhelming response has always been an emphatic "no" to routine arming. Some of the logic behind this is that arming Police Officers makes them less accessable to the general public. It is felt that people will be more hesitant to approach a Copper on the beat if he has a sidearm as part of his uniform. However, a majority of the reasoning is that Police Officers, who are on the front line of the war against crime, just do not find it necessary to carry weapons. They are the guys who do the job day-in-day-out and it is felt that the current equipment they carry, CAPTOR (pepper spray) and extendable baton, is sufficient to protect them, subdue violent offenders and protect the public. I have also heard that some people argue that if you arm all the Police then the villians will have to match that and will make it a priority to carry a firearm themselves thus escalting the fight against criminal behaviour and making the Police Officer's job a lot tougher. Most Officers feel safe in the knowledge that they can call on armed support when needed and will receive it from colleagues who have gone through rigorous testing and training scenarios.

British Police Officers pride themselves on using their negotiating skills and verbal communication abilities in order to reason with the public and disuade potential offenders from getting themselves locked up. British Police Officers are the best Coppers in the World because they are able to do a tough job without the need to resort to firearms.

Americans find it so strange that British people don't carry guns as a right. Some basic human right that is! Is it really a right to be able to purchase a weapon in order to take the lives of innocent person's just because you can't get the crap in your own life sorted?

Answer 2

I think that it would be best if UK Officers were all trained to carry weapons, and maybe carried them at certain times or in response to certain types of call outs. Like the late night beat would carry weapons etc

I think to have all officers carry them all the time is over kill, and is inviting brutality of the sort found to often occur in the US. Officers will draw their weapons to subdue a suspect, but weapons should only be drawn as and when an Officer is in a situation where they may have to use it.

Police have the right to be protected against violent criminals by carrying firearms, yes. But they should not tempt fate either.

Answer 3

It is getting bad. The PSNI are still armed yet a Met officer probably has more chance of getting shot. Police in England, Wales and Scotland are about the only Police in Europe who are not armed. I don't think the time has come yet for routine arming although I do believe all Police should patrol with Tazers

Answer 4

should the police have guns??. The Blue Berets (the equivalent to the US SWAT teams) are supposedly highly trained.
Highly Trained in what??? 9 times out of 10 they shoot the wrong person. a few years ago there was a case of a woman being held hostage by a gunman and they shot the woman, of course the gunman got away. too many people have been killed or seriously injured to allow the KEYSTONE COPS to have guns.
they can`t even do the job they`re paid to do as it is, how many beat coppers do you see on the streets these days.you`ll usually find them doing they`re shopping instead. If you call the police they very rarely turn out in certain areas.( they never do in the area I live )
So the definate answer has to be NO cops today are lazy and incompetant to be armed

Answer 5

I think there should be more armed response, or all cops should be given tazers. I for one would hate the idea of having to kill somebody, even if they are a scumbag. Electrocuting them, I'm fine with that :o)

Answer 6

I say yes, like in any other country in the world. Or if its still too sensitive in the UK , then rather go for the TAZER GUN

Answer 7

Yes how does an unarmed police officer pose any more threat to gun-totting criminals that the ordinary citizen

Answer 8

Absotely not. I mean whens the last time you heard someone with a gun going on a rampage? well? you just dont because guesss what? everyother person doesnt have a gun and theres just no need. i mean look at john charles diminas at stockwell. jeez we got enough idoits with guns you want to give them to your average cop on the street? their will be no amount of grief for something the UK we just dont need.

Answer 9

i don't think every officer should be armed, but a larger number should be, and their departments should stand by them if they ever have to use their guns... at the moment they become villainised, suspended from work and abandoned if they choose to shoot someone... what a joke.

Answer 10

i do think all police should be armed,because i now one thing if i went out ,and some nut went on the rampage with a gun ,and there was a police officer there,but all he had on him was some pepper spray or asbo order ,IL be pretty pissed off