By jove, that's it! Why didn't we think of that earlier, rather than engage in all this fuss about being armed and whatnot! < /sarcasm>
Posted on 05/12/2003 1:15:55 PM PDT by presidio9
Despite rocketing gun crime, the number of police officers wanting to be routinely armed has risen just 1% in eight years, a survey has suggested.
Police Federation figures show 78% of police officers do not want to carry guns, compared to 79% in 1995.
The survey also revealed that 47% of frontline officers in England and Wales backed mandatory wearing of body armour and eight out of 10 said more officers should be trained to use firearms.
Federation chairman Jan Berry said: "Once again this result proves that, in spite of huge risks and dangers police officers face, they acknowledge the vital importance of policing by consent, in partnership with the communities they serve.
Gun crime
"They recognise that openly carrying guns would fundamentally change their relationship with the public."
The news comes after a police union raised concerns over a drop in the number of officers trained to use firearms.
The Police Federation said there were currently only 5,700 officers trained to use guns, compared with 6,500 five years ago.
This has led to fears that officers face an increased risk from armed criminals.
"When gun crime and violence are going up alarmingly, to see that huge reduction is extremely worrying," said the federation chairman.
"We need to try to establish why there has been this reduction and ensure that officers on the street have the right levels of safety and security."
Some believed the survey would show a large rise in the number of officers wanting to carry guns as a matter of routine following a dramatic increase in gun crime.
In 2002 there were nearly 10,000 gun offences - an increase of a third on the previous year.
But the results, announced at the Police Federation conference in Blackpool on Monday, showed the vast majority of 13,000 officers who responded to the survey opposed routinely carrying guns.
'Less back-up'
The Police Superintendents' Association, which represents senior policing staff, has said it does not want to see all officers armed.
Spokesman Kevin Morris said: "We have a pretty firm position that we don't feel that we should be armed on a routine basis.
"It is disturbing that the number of officers trained to carry weapons has fallen, which of course means our officers on the beat have got less back-up, and that really needs to be addressed.
"We train to a very high standard in the UK but we don't routinely arm.
"That would mean something like 125,000 more officers would need to be trained, and some would fail."
He told BBC Radio 5 Live: "Guns are almost a fashion accessory among certain sections of the community.
"You wouldn't have an open gunfight in the street or wander around letting people see you had a gun, if you thought you might find yourself confronting an armed police officer."
Liberal Democrat home affairs spokesman Simon Hughes said: "Unless we reduce the numbers of guns and knives on the streets it will be increasingly difficult to resist calls for more and more armed police.
"[But] armed police on our streets must remain the exception and not the rule."
See how brainwashing works? Quite effective, isn't it?
Haven't they heard? Guns are illegal in Britain. Just tell the criminals, and all will be well.
Do you have the figures comparing violent crime in the UK vs the US?
Remember, open carry is quite different than concealed under their tunic.
I say, old chap, put down that gun and allow me to arrest you for murder.
Now, if only they'd ban murder they'd have themselves a nice little utopia.
Sure, a cop in Mayberry! ;O)
By jove, that's it! Why didn't we think of that earlier, rather than engage in all this fuss about being armed and whatnot! < /sarcasm>
Come with me, Shropshire Slasher
"I don't care if you think it's your right. I say: Sorry, it's 1999. We have had enough as a nation. You are not allowed to own a gun, and if you do own a gun I think you should go to prison."
--Rosie O'Donnell
I guess it depends where you are. My sarge has been in two shootings in 10 years and I know a Lt. that has been in five. There are many precincts in the city where you hear shots fired in the distance almost every night.
They couldn't pay me enough to do this unarmed. I think the bobbies are all out of their minds.
If you happen to run into a perp with a gun on your beat all the stats and cultural comparisons go right out the window. I reiterate: The bobbies are nuts.
Maybe they just don't want to sign out at the end of the day and go home as much as I do. I'm going home no matter what.
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