Should Police in the UK be able to equip and use guns?

[Marc]

The Dog always gets his man

Amen braaaa

 

[Elkie]

Amen braaaa

youngblood, dog rules

http://www.dogthebountyhunter.com/intro.php

 

[Infanity]

Yes.

 

[Beovulf]

Dog the bounty hunter only uses CS spray, no guns and Dog > The Police

Braaaa

LMFAO +rep for joo for making me laugh.

I dont think police officers should be carrying guns for the reasons many of you have outlined in the thread. The more guns that are on the streets, the more likely it is criminals will want to defend themselves with deadly force.

Sure a policeman with a gun may seem more intimidating to you and I, but to a hardened criminal who knows it's either jail or murder, it's not a hard choice to make.

Britains currently in the middle of a knife crisis, where loads of kids are running round with blades in their pockets. Not because they want to kill someone, but because they feel protected by the knife. It would be an even scarier prospect that a 13 y/o with a gun would see it as a requirement to go into school armed just to avoid bullying.

However, then there are the skeptics who would say, arm every police officer so that they can shoot ever criminal. Although it may seem a dramatisation, we would end up with police officers dealing out sentences (possibly death, not just impairment by bullet wounds) instead of apprehending the criminal a la Judge Dredd. So no, no guns for police officers, unless they're specially trained units.

 

[Huntingtons]

yep, like in dk where 2 policeofficers shot a mental ill man in the face (i think, cant remember, but he died still) at the same time coz he was smashing up a store (not to the harm of anyone)... that's certainly a good idea tho, i dont think of it as the police in denmark has guns. In us they were disabling a man so that he could do no harm to himself as he wanted to commit suicide. He died...

 

[Garok]

Most of the Policemen I know don't want to carry guns and say there more trouble than there worth.

Friends Dad who used to be in the armed guard at the Palace and Westminster, used to say he would be more likely to throw the gun than fire it to stop a criminal due.

 

[laponna]

I agree police should not be armed just special force is enough
been to the states some over weight cops there I asked one how he would be able to give chase his reply was I dont just shoot them in the knee caps
also I think the do gooders in the country have a lot to answer for taking rights away from parents
make parents responsible for their kids if they break the law the parents pay the fines and serve the sentance maybe then parents would know what their kids are up to and where they are

 

[Little Boy]

I'd say no they shouldnt but also yes they should at the same time, you hear about police getting stabbed and stuff so for self defence. But id also say no because of how many extra guns people would have on the streets.

In my opinion anyway
Regards,
Jim

 

[Dreamor]

My first thoughts are yes, only 'cos a few of my cousins are police and would not want them to not be able to defend themselves. Thinking a little more into it though, has the Police in the 'states carrying guns made any difference in gun crime? I'd say no, but then they have had police officers with guns for years.

Its a no for me, I don't think it would make a difference. we have officers with guns (armed response of whatever they call themselves) if the need arises and can call on them pretty quickly.

If a criminal sees someone with a gun, be it a Police Officer or another person... that persons first thought is to stick him before he gets me.

 

[tris-]

i think they should be allowed to carry CS in a canister at least. only to be used when necessary. a kosh isnt always going to be effective especially if you have multiple targets coming at you.

and if they carry CS already, then, cool

 

[Fana]

Discuss.
Not only does everyone feel at ease when a police man is able to enforce the law by any means necessary but it is also for the police man's own protection.

Im not from the UK but i think you should be glad your policemen dont normally carry sidearms. Here in sweden, where every policeman carries a gun, there have been alot more cases of policemen shooting and killing or seriously injuring people when it wasnt neccessary/motivated than there have been cases of policemen getting killed/wounded. If you carry a gun any mistake you make will have serious consequences, and policemen are only humans - its natural to resort to the strongest means of supression at your disposal if you feel threatened, and if that is a gun the situation escalates alot as do the consequences. Far from every policeofficer is mentally equiped to handle the responsibility of carrying and using a gun.
Over here we are discussing the police getting non-lethal weapons (stunguns etc) instead of guns since anyone carrying a weapon, be it a policeman or not, is a threat.

 

[Ctuchik]

Discuss.

My personal opinion is Yes. Not only does everyone feel at ease when a police man is able to enforce the law by any means necessary but it is also for the police man's own protection. Perhaps by introducing a 'shoot to disarm' policy, the police could stop people runnin away etc. by shooting them in the leg with a pellet or a plastic bullet. The only problem I can see with giving police men in the UK guns, is if the criminals somehow get a hold of them.

yeah, guns really solve problems eh? just look at USA.

 

[soze]

yeah, guns really solve problems eh? just look at USA.

The thing with the us is not due to police having guns its because they have lapse gun rules and thier gangs use guns at the first sign of trouble.
So the gun situation is the us should not be blamed on the police in the us just the stupid laws and no border control.

IMO of course.

 

[Bugz]

yeah, guns really solve problems eh? just look at USA.

USA is a terrible example.

Say hi to fucked up borders and guns'r'legal laws. Not hi to police having guns.

 

[Jeriraa]

Just found this thread. Gotta say it surprised me as I was under the impression that all european police forces are armed.

Personaly I think yes, police should always be armed. For the sake of their own safety. I know the UK has even more rigid restrictions on guns than Germany but I also know that more than 80% of all fireweapons in private possession in Germany are illegaly owned. I am not going to claim that all of these gun owners are criminals. Some might just be keeping a gift from their grandfather or something similar, not thinking much about it. But you can expect a large part of these gun to serve criminal purposes and I don't think it is much different in the UK. It is very bad for the morale of the forces to go out and always having to consider the chance of meeting someone who's armed while you aren't.

I admit, I do feel somewhat uneasy when I see police and their gun holsters catch my eye. But then I have served in the army and for me only a gun I carry is a good gun. People will think twice before they fuck with an officer thats got a 9mm strapped visible for everyone. (Concealed weapons are a different matter.)

On the matter of inappropriate use of guns/violence in the armed forces... this is a matter of training and conditioning the personel. In Germany the police is almost afraid to use their guns, even for selfdefense because they know they better have a damn good reason for every single round they fire or they are in deep deep shit.

 

[Cemeterygates]

i definately think they shouldnt because:
as stated before the real criminals here will just up the pace so to speak to counter it.....ive even seen an uzi and a sawn off pump action 12 gauge...an that would just become more wide spread an would end up with all sorts of insane guns...guns arent legal here but they are about..but i think the police having them as standard will just make it worse.

 

[Kaun_IA]

in estonia police carrys guns :/ think theres even a law that when ur out on patrolling, then one of them has to have a gun.... allso u cant go patrolling alone, allways in pairs