Poll: Should UK police be given guns as standard issue?

[Smokej]

We'd end up like America

What the fuck does this even mean? At least America doesn't have these idiots running around burning every store they can find

I didn't mean it as a criticism.

Guns aren't an everyday thing over here and I wouldn't want them to be. Can you imagine all those muppets in the riots now if they had fire power?

Guns are more common place in America and as such people have grown with the idea of owning but not shooting your neighbour in the face (mostly). We haven't had that here so if it started taking off then it would be a shit storm waiting to happen.

Oh okay I understand.

reminds me on this...


the problem with public possession of firearms (in first world countries with high population), either every bum owns a gun or it's so hard to legally obtain one that only criminals own them...

 

[EightGaugeHippo]

One guy got shot dead by police in a raid... Country wide riots follow.

Just think if every officer had a gun.
The country would tear its self apart within minutes.

 

[Gaiseric]

I'm all for guns(NRA!), but the UK is different and their police not having guns seems to work just fine. If the UK thought arming the police would help I'm sure they would have done it. Besides having lethal force isn't the thing police need during riots and I don't think the police having guns would prevent riots.

Bean bag guns make people think twice before rioting. A few of those into the crowd and well....Guess who is gonna stop doing dumb shit real fast

I was only referring to lethal ammunition.

Bean bags and rubber bullets are another story.

 

[Battenbergcake]

No, if a fire arm is required then call in an armed response unit.
Tasers i have no problem with, i'd rather have however many volts coursing through my body than a bullet in me since a shot anywhere with any kin of firearm is potentially leathal at the end of the day, guns are tools for killing and there is nothing else to them other than thus, deisgned for killing used for killing, that is their only function whether or not that is your intention with firing one.

 

[Aprilgold]

No, because if rioters aren't fully automatic death machines, neither should the cops. Thats what I HATE about the U.S police system, is they'll pull a gun on your ass for trespassing, or for fucking murdering, the WHOLE spectrum of against the law, they'll pull a gun on you. Instead of doing what the good old UK police do and tackle and arrest you, I mean, are the rioters shooting shit yet? No, then the cops shouldn't have to either.

 

[soulblade06]

I love all of the naive thinking going on here. Yes, police can do bad things when they have weapons, but then again police can do bad things even when they don't have weapons. You know who can also do bad things, and can find a good weapon if they search hard enough? ANYBODY.

If someone comes at an officer or a bystander with a gun, and the officer has pepper spray and a billy club, what are they supposed to do? Attempt to disarm the guy or beat him down? No, because someone WILL be shot. Sure, the police can bring in a team and try to take the guy by surprise or negotiate the situation, but other times the officer/hostage will be shot and dead before the team even gets there.

 

[TonyVonTonyus]

Well let's look at the opposition they face. IRA and other terrorist groups, at the moment there are large riots where the city is being burned to the ground and every year a group of overly commited soccer fans attempts to stage some sort of coup...yeah, I think they should get guns. Otherwise their just guys with sticks who if your fatser than on foot have no real power over you.

 

[ecoho]

The reason I'm thinking of this is because of the riots, police are unable to act effectively because the country removes power from them when people are able to sue for police brutality.

Our police are equipped with pepper spray and big sticks.

Lets look for a moment at our American cousins... Oh wait, guns and tazers.

Police in this country are simply taken as a joke, and it's not their own fault, it's because we won't allow the use of proper equipment to act as a deterrent.

From what I've heard the riots started after a peaceful protest which occured because a criminal was shot by a police officer. (After shooting at him first I've heard)

If that's the case then good, hats off the the officer. I want to shake his hand. What the fuck country do we live in where someone can shoot at a police officer and people don't expect there to be repercussions for it?

Fuck that. And by the way, I'm saying this from Scotland, so I'm not even near the riots, but I know that if it started here, we wouldn't be doing any better. It'd be the same bullshit.

Edit: I'm aware that arming the police wouldn't stop the riots, (And of course I don't expect them to fire upon people rioting) but it would make people think alot harder before they burn innocent's houses down.

Also, I know our gun control is really tight and that's great, but why can't we maintain that control, ASWELL as arming our police force?

Double edit: Allow me to clear this up, as I think most of you think I want the police to use firearms against the riots, which is not at all what I want. The riots are simply what got me thinking of the police force overall.

Also people are saying that we have special armed police units that are very effective. And that's true, but do they get called in before or after an unarmed police officer with a family waiting at home is gunned down?

tazers yes guns no. this is why in all truthfulness im all for using lethal force when the time comes but in a country like the UK (or for that matter most countries other then the US) your just not ready for it. Its a bit different in the US cause we've had guns as standard issue since our creation, you just haven't.Baby steps my friend baby steps. Oh and if you want to break up a riot you use tear gas,shock batons, and riot shields, never the use of a firearm as that tends to make people get really violent.

 

[spectrenihlus]

We'd end up like America

What the fuck does this even mean? At least America doesn't have these idiots running around burning every store they can find

I didn't mean it as a criticism.

Guns aren't an everyday thing over here and I wouldn't want them to be. Can you imagine all those muppets in the riots now if they had fire power?

Guns are more common place in America and as such people have grown with the idea of owning but not shooting your neighbour in the face (mostly). We haven't had that here so if it started taking off then it would be a shit storm waiting to happen.

Oh okay I understand.

reminds me on this...


the problem with public possession of firearms (in first world countries with high population), either every bum owns a gun or it's so hard to legally obtain one that only criminals own them...

And that is how you defend your property.

 

[Eventidal]

Wow, no guns or lots of guns, it seems there is no answer.

God, let's either kill off humanity as a whole or go back in time and stop guns from being invented. They have never done us any good. I hate being a part of this mindlessly violent culture, unable to do a damn thing about it.

 

[Tiny116]

Also, I know our gun control is really tight and that's great, but why can't we maintain that control, ASWELL as arming our police force?

Because to arm the police as standard issue is to allow more Guns into the country, and people who know how get them. Also criminals will begin getting hold of guns BEFORE they commit crimes. It's all about escalation, Giving guns as standard issue is a bad step.

Also, I'd prefer if i'm ever stopped by the police, not to have them pull a gun in my face as standard procedure.

 

[TheRundownRabbit]

I say, arm any official police force. Listen, lawbreakers don't care if guns are illegal because the law doesn't matter to them in the first place. Just like inmates can get their hands on drugs, criminals will always be able to get their hands on guns whether they are illegal or not.

 

[eximista]

What's wrong with you... if some arabic states have riots you think "great they get themself some democracy..." Where's the diffrence? The police just shot somebody - and lied about it. Everywhere are cameras... and the politicans don't care for the people.

I hope they burn down this police state... kill the queen... and start to build up a new, better state.

 

[Yopaz]

One of reasons why the riots started was due to the police shooting someone in the head.More guns would make this even worse

Someone. Give this man a cigar. He's got the right idea!
First: London is racked by unemployment and increasing poverty.
Then: Man is shot and killed by the police.
Moving on: Peaceful protest to get any information why said man was shot.
Later: Peaceful protests erupts into a violent riot.
Now: Riots are spreading throughout London.

Possibly this would have been avoided if not for the man who was shot, but this probably just made it worse or made it happen sooner since this is probably the sum of several underlying problems. However this could have been calmed down and maybe subsided more quickly if not for the man who was killed.
Also if the police started firing into crowds of rioting young people, wouldn't there be a chance to kill someone who was just at a bad place at a bad time?
Also starting to shoot at civilians... where have I heard that before?
Hint: I'm thinking Syria. How's that working out for them?

 

[fix-the-spade]

Also people are saying that we have special armed police units that are very effective. And that's true, but do they get called in before or after an unarmed police officer with a family waiting at home is gunned down?

Before.

In fact, this whole crap shoot started because an armed police unit shot a man* dead whilst executing a high risk warrant. The first protest (and rapidly ensuing riot) were in response to that.

That in itself should make it plainly obvious how bad an idea it is giving every copper a gun. Also, most police officers themselves probably do not want to be armed all the time, it places a great deal of responsibility on their shoulders.

*Man is a very loose term in this case, drug dealing loan sharking (allegedly) raping scum bag probably fits better, plus he was indeed armed, hence the armed unit being on scene in the first place

 

[Bluelaughter]

More guns just seems like a bad solution to the results of underlying problems. The amount of time a police officer actually could use a gun is fairly low, particularly if more were equipped with non-lethal deterrents like tasers.

 

[Aviyur]

Yes. These rioting thugs are wrecking peoples lives. If the police were armed, this would have been over ages ago.

Obviously recruitment and checking protocols would have to be severely tightened. But the police need the power to protect people back.

 

[Aviyur]

Also people are saying that we have special armed police units that are very effective. And that's true, but do they get called in before or after an unarmed police officer with a family waiting at home is gunned down?

Before.

In fact, this whole crap shoot started because an armed police unit shot a man* dead whilst executing a high risk warrant. The first protest (and rapidly ensuing riot) were in response to that.

That in itself should make it plainly obvious how bad an idea it is giving every copper a gun. Also, most police officers themselves probably do not want to be armed all the time, it places a great deal of responsibility on their shoulders.

*Man is a very loose term in this case, drug dealing loan sharking (allegedly) raping scum bag probably fits better, plus he was indeed armed, hence the armed unit being on scene in the first place

This started because youths wanted to riot. This mans death was an excuse that these thugs wanted so they could riot. They're not targeting "the rich" or police stations. They're targeting people and residents. I live in tottenham and i watched that apartment block burn down. I watched the people flee their homes only to then be robbed by the same people that set their homes on fire. This despicable behavior can only be answered with weapons. Violence is the only thing these thugs understand.