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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

to think all police were armed?

196 replies

strawberrygate · 05/06/2017 08:28

I'm really not seeing why this would now be a bad thing. There were police right there at the London attack, and if they'd been armed then some lives could have been saved.
If someone drives a truck through a crowd in somewhere random like Sheffield, there will be police there, but currently not armed. How would they stop them? they would have no option but stand and wait until armed response arrived, which in most areas would be a hell of a lot longer than the 5 mins. or so it took in central London.
We're sitting ducks.

OP posts:
Dawnedlightly · 05/06/2017 10:46

I really do not understand un-armed police. Confused
Who ever has the guns, more guns=more deaths.
Gun related deaths

Basecamp21 · 05/06/2017 10:53

Contrary to the medias image very few criminals in Britain are armed with firearms.

I have a close relative serving a 15 year prison sentence for drug dealing. He was carry around hundreds of thousands of pounds worth of cocaine and used notes. He was collecting directly from the boat and dealt with Somali's, Afgan importers as well as major drug gangs across the whole Midlands. His operation was worth £50m and he and his friends were doing this for over 10 years before he was caught.

He was never armed with firearms and never dealt with anyone else who was - since being in prison he has never met another drug dealer who carried a gun. According to the governments own figures the number of convicted drug dealers who also have firearms convictions is less than 2%.

Arm the Police and this changes within days.

Yes there is gun crime but it is incredibly limited and predominantly within a few urban areas but most incidents are within the criminal world and it rarely affects those outside it. The TV cop shows use the extreme rare examples as inspiration for their stories not the boring common place reality.

When innocent people are caught up in it - it is horrible but thankfully in the UK it is incredibly rare. Arm the Police and the consequential arms race will ensure it will becomes commonplace. At the present time it is not easy to get firearms - it is possible for those well known in the criminal world but not easy for most people. My relative could have easily got a gun- he was known and trusted within the highest reaches of international organised crime - he just never felt the need to own one

Arm the Police and the TV image of crime - instead of showing the extreme examples becomes the norm.

MyNameIsntTaken · 05/06/2017 10:55

No way. Where I grew up, the police force was notorious for police brutality and corruption, I can't imagine how much worse it would have been had they all been armed. Even now, when I meet police from other areas if the conversation goes towards what area I am from, there's always an ohhhh... followed by whatever response. The brutality and corruption didn't just disappear when some of them were fired or taken to court, it's still there, just less.

Then there's the issues with criminals with guns. As it is at the moment, majority of criminals will not fire at an officer. Give officers guns and that becomes much more likely. Of course they'll have to fire back to protect their own lives, and then what do we have?

Our police are amazing here. They'll get out and chase criminals and use tasers and gas on armed criminals. We are not like America and shouldn't try to be. I'm sure America didn't start of shooting a suspect for running, but now they do, and running away shouldn't get the death penalty.

The way it is now is fine. Our police do an amazing job with the resources they have. Our firearms officers have extensive training, very different to other countries where all police routinely carry guns. Our system works much better for us all, others systems work better for them.

Anyway, American police a have guns and a few of them are very trigger happy. That hasn't stopped their school shootings, didn't stop Dylan Roof, and hasn't stopped countless other tragedies they've had.

ShatnersWig · 05/06/2017 10:57

Ironic, really. A country with such little gun crime per head of population has made a fortune through flogging arms to other countries.

evensmilingmakesmyfacehurt · 05/06/2017 11:00

If you want armed police live in America where everyone shoots everyone for no apparent reason. Bit like a Nintendo game....

This! This so much.

ShatnersWig · 05/06/2017 11:01

Additional comment. After the attacks on Saturday I read a tweet from an American. it read: "Last time I was in UK was asked 'why are Americans so violent' wtf I've never seen an American slashing someone in the market"

I didn't bother pointing out that Borough Market was not the equivalent of Whole Foods but I did reply thus: "no, but plenty of kids in America going on shooting sprees at schools or cinemas instead"

Same American woman replied: "Rare, considering the size of our country".

Moron.

HoldBackTheRain · 05/06/2017 11:14

ShatnersWig completely agree with everything you've said

Joffmognum · 05/06/2017 11:15

The US has armed police, and a lot of innocent people get shot.

When policemen feel threatened, in the UK they'll at most taser suspects. If the police have guns they'll be much more likely to shoot them.

Police do a great job but their job is not to be judge, jury and executioner.

bruffian · 05/06/2017 11:17

Yes they should be armed. Or there should definitely be more armed police. It's a bit mad to think otherwise.

londonpia · 05/06/2017 11:30

My husband is in the met. He has had firearm training and hated it- it was the most intense thing ever, and that was just training. He does not want any job that involves training. He's been in the police for 14 years and has drawn his baton once during then. He's now plain clothed, so no baton. He deals with nasty people- who have guns. He still does not want a gun.

bruffian · 05/06/2017 11:32

What would your husband have done faced with the terrorists armed with knives Pia?

MaidOfStars · 05/06/2017 11:32

Yes they should be armed
Disagree.

Or there should definitely be more armed police
A reasonable suggestion. More armed units staffed by highly-trained individuals. Could be on board with that.

Dawnedlightly · 05/06/2017 11:32

This thread is hilarious
Op: why aren't police armed?
Numerous posters: multiple different reasons they're not and shouldn't be
interjected with yeah, they should be innit.

bruffian · 05/06/2017 11:33

yes definitely more armed police

not all police should be armed

Kursk · 05/06/2017 11:33

NellieFiveBellies

Why are you (and a few others) using the USA as the only example of a armed police force? The UK is one of the only police forces that isn't armed, France has an armed police force.

I think that the Police should be armed, I think it provides more of a deterrent to the criminal.

bruffian · 05/06/2017 11:34

I'd be quite pissed off if I was in the middle of a terrorist attack and the police just stood there unable to do anything.

I'd be delighted if they had guns and shot the attackers.

treaclesoda · 05/06/2017 11:36

I'm in N Ireland and all the police are armed here. Yet weirdly, if I see armed police when I am elsewhere in the UK, it feels really weird and uncomfortable.

I certainly wouldn't want the UK police to be anything like the police in the USA. I think the police are scarier than most of the criminals in the USA, they certainly appear to be very trigger happy...

LiveLongAndProspero · 05/06/2017 11:37

I think that the Police should be armed, I think it provides more of a deterrent to the criminal

It provides more reason for the criminals to also have guns.

At least apply a little logic.

ShatnersWig · 05/06/2017 11:37

Kursk Interesting that you, as a layperson, think it provides a deterrent when all evidence and the Police themselves, say it doesn't. Don't you think the Police with all their experience probably know better than you?
.

Kursk · 05/06/2017 11:38

Justjibberish

Yes it is extremely difficult to shoot through glass, the glass distorts your view of the target so you are likely to miss. Also glass will shatter the bullet, or alter its trajectory.

treaclesoda · 05/06/2017 11:38

And although our police are armed here, it is once in a blue moon that they actually fire a shot. They don't do it lightly either, because there is a lot of interviewing and paperwork to go through afterwards if they do.

londonpia · 05/06/2017 11:39

Bruffian- but they didn't just stand there!
My DH would have done exactly what the other non armed ones did.

The non-armed police tackled them. There are police officers who are armed- just not enough. But we shouldn't be arming every single copper.

ShatnersWig · 05/06/2017 11:39

Bruffian Take back that slur immediately. That's disgraceful. In London, a transport policeman with no armed weapon didn't just "do nothing" but tackled the terrorists. How dare you suggest they would just stand there and do nothing.

bruffian · 05/06/2017 11:42

it wasn't a slur

I was talking about a hypothetical situation

I would feel safer with armed police in the equation

Kursk · 05/06/2017 11:44

ShatnersWig

True, however I am going from my experience of a Brit living in the US. 60% of people in my state own a gun. DH and I both have a conceal carry permit.

Crime in our area is low. Opportunist criminals assume that behind each door is a armed citizen and therefore avoid braking into homes.

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