Should uk police carry guns?

[Blah11]

No. I think it should stay as it is and only have guns in special units and airport staff. I always find it terrifying when I see police at airports or in a foreign country with guns & actually I don't think it would do any good. I think they're not needed and I think it would do more bad than good. It would make people feel more intimidated (I suppose thats arguably a good/bad thing), and introduce more guns to the UK.


& Jean Charles De Menezes ring any bells?

 

[Piper84]

In England, 51 police officers have been shot dead since 1945 (https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-19634164)

I think it's that many per year in the US, on average.

But that's neither here nor there, because this is a discussion about gun control in the UK.

I think the status quo is fine as it is. Of course these tragedies occur, but hopefully we can learn more from them than just a knee-jerk reaction of "why don't our police carry guns?"

The ones that do have been known to make terrible mistakes (no disrespect to the thousands of competent officers out there).

 

[fantastica]

I would be horrified if the average police officer was able to carry guns. I guess in the US it makes sense as a lot of criminals could possibly be carrying, but in the UK..it seems ridiculous. In the situation where the two were shot dead, it would have made no difference.

Currently, I am completely disillusioned with the police force and the justice system (apart from a few exceptions obviously), sometimes they already have too much power, they use unnecessary force and tasers are used in the wrong situations also...imagine adding a gun to that.

 

[Mummy Bean]

well look wht happens when police do carry guns - Mark Duggan - start a massive riot across the whole country!?! How many ppl got serioursly injured or killed in that!

the police are hounded enough at the moment for making mistakes, there another case atm with a policeman who shot dead a suspect.

if the criminals dont have guns then i dont think the police need them. we have enough trouble as it.

 

[lhancock90]

well look wht happens when police do carry guns - Mark Duggan - start a massive riot across the whole country!?! How many ppl got serioursly injured or killed in that!

the police are hounded enough at the moment for making mistakes, there another case atm with a policeman who shot dead a suspect.

if the criminals dont have guns then i dont think the police need them. we have enough trouble as it.

I don't think thats fair on the police. The original protests yes but what followed across the country was theft/violence for the sake of it by people who had no idea what they were protesting against.

 

[Mummy Bean]

well look wht happens when police do carry guns - Mark Duggan - start a massive riot across the whole country!?! How many ppl got serioursly injured or killed in that!

the police are hounded enough at the moment for making mistakes, there another case atm with a policeman who shot dead a suspect.

if the criminals dont have guns then i dont think the police need them. we have enough trouble as it.

I don't think thats fair on the police. The original protests yes but what followed across the country was theft/violence for the sake of it by people who had no idea what they were protesting against.

oh i agree i dont think the riots were the police fault, and i think it was handled real bad...the army/water canons/plastic bullets should have been allowed on day one before it spread.

but it just shows the ppls reaction to guns, i agree that police need to defend themselves, but as others have said if the police have guns then the criminals will want them to.

 

[lhancock90]

This is a batman quote but i think its so true;

"We start carrying semi automatics, they buy automatics, we start wearing Kevlar, they buy armour piercing rounds"

 

[xsadiex]

So glad we don't have police with guns here, so many more people would die if they did.