Guns and police

[Richie]

Depending where you live in the world, are you happy / annoyed that police do / don't use firearms in your area? Do you think using firearms is a little harsh / too lenient? In Ireland the police don't carry weapons and I think it is amazing how the police can control a situation without pointing a gun at someone. Obviously it would be stupid for a policeman to chase after a man with a gun unless they had a gun themselves but that's why we have armed forces just for the odd incident like that.

[GirlNextDoor15]

They carry guns here but don't point it at innocent people. I never heard a gun shot irl. So, I'm quite happy with it.

[Technologic]

Depending where you live in the world, are you happy / annoyed that police do / don't use firearms in your area? Do you think using firearms is a little harsh / too lenient? In Ireland the police don't carry weapons and I think it is amazing how the police can control a situation without pointing a gun at someone. Obviously it would be stupid for a policeman to chase after a man with a gun unless they had a gun themselves but that's why we have armed forces just for the odd incident like that.

I thought the PSNI all carried guns and so I assumed it was the same for the garda....

And i'm very much opposed to every policeman/woman being armed, having highly trained specialists is the way to do things imo

[Red]

They carry guns here but they need them LOL. I thought it was ridiculous though when the riots were taking place in England and they wouldn't use water canons. They really weren't prepared.

[-:Undertaker:-]

I don't like our Police as they are but I do think the pre-1960s model of Policing in the United Kingdom which had unarmed officers worked very well and i'd like to return it.

[Narnat,]

Police in my area don't, I personally don't see a problem with police Carrying guns because it's for protection and they have many other options with theequipmentthat they carry so they would only use it if they had no other option.

[Rozi]

I completely disagree with all police officers carrying guns, and the rise of tasers. It is incredibly unlikely that a police officer will often come into contact with an armed person or someone who is likely to cause them serious harm, and obviously I don't oppose having specially trained officers who do know how to use guns properly. However, the Mark Duggan case is a clear indication (along with Jean Charles De Menezes (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Death_of_Jean_Charles_de_Menezes)) that even trained officers make mistakes in the heat of the moment. Also if guns are seen to be coming into circulation more in the police, criminals will feel an increasing need to arm themselves both against other criminals AND the police, increasing the amount of guns the police need etcetc and we end up with a culture like america where a huge percentage (if not all? not sure) police carry guns as a part of their job.

[GoldenMerc]

They don't have guns around here lol, if they did i guess it'd be pretty nasty.

[the.games]

Our police don't carry guns, but I think they should. A lot of police officers were hurt in the riots and carrying guns would have stopped this. (I dont mean they should have shot anyone, but I think the deterrant could have made the riots not as bad)

[GoldenMerc]

Think they should have those pepper spray guns or what ever, they'd be useful around here./

[Mark]

I think if police don't carry guns it prevents criminals from carrying them as well. I prefer it the way it is because we always have the specialists who come out armed if needed.

[GoldenMerc]

I guess so, but then again criminals can get them, just at a price

[-:Undertaker:-]

Just legalise gun ownership like Switzerland has, I can bet you anything that attacks on innocent pensioners and muggings/robberies will instantly fall.

Because as we all know; however guns are regulated, the criminals will always get hold of them.

[TheCasualSpy]

fire arms only really needs to be used when the criminal has it. so just keep fire arms the way the are

[GoldenMerc]

We have fire armed police at like Birmingham airport i think, but nothings ever happened they need them :S

[Jazz]

Police dont carry guns were I am, and i'm glad they don't. I wouldnt want to walk around with police men carrying weapons

[Jordy]

Just legalise gun ownership like Switzerland has, I can bet you anything that attacks on innocent pensioners and muggings/robberies will instantly fall.

Because as we all know; however guns are regulated, the criminals will always get hold of them.I can't see for a moment what legalising guns would have to do with stopping attacks on innocent pensioners? Much like you pointed out with criminals always getting hold of guns rather of their legality, pathetic scum will always attack vulnerable people.


I don't like our Police as they are but I do think the pre-1960s model of Policing in the United Kingdom which had unarmed officers worked very well and i'd like to return it.Our police pretty much are unarmed? Other than specialist units in each county which are very rarely seen it's unusual to see Police with guns in the UK. I've seen them at airports, outside Crown Courts when there's important cases going on and at an RAF Air show, neither of which strike me as particularly inappropriate (they're far from ideal and I do find it intimidating but its not that concerning).

I really don't see an issue with guns in the UK, police with guns can be called upon if they're needed in cases of gun crime and terrorism. Gun crime isn't an issue in the UK and pretty much all of it occurs with illegally imported unlicensed guns (and the issue there is with the borders, gang culture and a general break down in society, nothing to do with gun ownership or police carrying guns).

I completely agree there is no correlation with gun ownership and gun crime as proved by Switzerland, although it is noteworthy that the Swiss undergo yearly mandatory gun training and do military service. They mainly carry them around for defence reasons as that's traditionally how the Swiss Army and the country's defence has worked, it's been reliant on civilians. In the UK it's easy enough to get guns for farming, sport etc if you need them but really if it ain't broke, don't fix it.

Edit: We actually have among the lowest gun violence in the world in the UK anyway. Just 8% of homicides in the UK are to do with firearms whilst it's 58% in Switzerland. Play around with these stats for a bit (Both england and switzerland do very well in it); http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gun_crime#Homicide (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gun_crime#Homicides_by_country)

[Jack!]

What is wrong with the current system? nothing, It works, as it should, I am yet to see any major issues?

Don't change it if it ain't broke.

[Eoin247]

I'm indifferent to this in Ireland to be honest. There are equalising pros and cons on both sides i think.

But [@]@Richie[/@] ,Do you think they should or shouldn't have guns?

[Richie]

I'm indifferent to this in Ireland to be honest. There are equalising pros and cons on both sides i think.

But [@]@Richie[/@] ,Do you think they should or shouldn't have guns?

I love how we can handle a situation without guns and i love how the media blows gun crime out of proportion so it looks worse on criminals so less of it happens

[Aaron]

Well it's good that uniformed please in Ireland don't carry guns, but from what I know detectives carry them in the boots of their cars. Suppose in some ways it's useful.