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

Xanthious

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Dec 25, 2008
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Of course the police should have standard issue guns. However, more so than that British citizens should have the option available to have guns as well. During the LA riots business owners were seen on top of their places of business or in front of their places of businesses with firearms able to protect what they had worked hard to build. British shop owners should be able to do the same. Simply put criminals could honestly give a shit about gun laws and denying any police officer or private citizen the means to protect themselves is absurd.

As a US citizen my right to own and carry a gun to protect myself and possibly others is one of my most treasured rights and one I take full advantage of. I've owned a firearm and had a permit to carry since I was legally able. In a perfect world the police would be able to keep everyone safe at all times. Our world is far from perfect though and since I can't carry a policeman with me I carry my pistol.

Thankfully I've never had to pull my weapon in defense of myself or others. However, I've never had a seatbelt protect me from going headlong through my windshield either and I still buckle up when I get in a car. I take great comfort in knowing should the day ever come when I need to protect myself, my home, or my family I will be equipped and able to do so.
 

orangeban

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Nov 27, 2009
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Xanthious said:
Of course the police should have standard issue guns. However, more so than that British citizens should have the option available to have guns as well. During the LA riots business owners were seen on top of their places of business or in front of their places of businesses with firearms able to protect what they had worked hard to build. British shop owners should be able to do the same. Simply put criminals could honestly give a shit about gun laws and denying any police officer or private citizen the means to protect themselves is absurd.

As a US citizen my right to own and carry a gun to protect myself and possibly others is one of my most treasured rights and one I take full advantage of. I've owned a firearm and had a permit to carry since I was legally able. In a perfect world the police would be able to keep everyone safe at all times. Our world is far from perfect though and since I can't carry a policeman with me I carry my pistol.

Thankfully I've never had to pull my weapon in defense of myself or others. However, I've never had a seatbelt protect me from going headlong through my windshield either and I still buckle up when I get in a car. I take great comfort in knowing should the day ever come when I need to protect myself, my home, or my family I will be equipped and able to do so.
Yeah, because what we really need with all these riots now is civilians gunning down rioters outside there door. /sarcasm (also, police aren't armed because (among many reasons) the cost of doing would never be repayed by the literal ones of people potentially saved.)

Edit: Also, British people can have guns, so long as they are rifles and shotguns, because they are the only really practical guns in modern British life (they're mainly for shooting farm pests, occasional hunting.) The pistol is a pointless risk, too many shootings have occured where someone can just waltz into a building because no-one can tell they have a pistol.
 

aescuder

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Aug 24, 2010
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And not be the laughing stock in the world of police enforcement?

short answer: yes, they should probably have guns.
 
Feb 9, 2011
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Voration said:
The_root_of_all_evil said:
[HEADING=1]No[/HEADING]

We predicted someone would ask this question. It's wrong. You cannot balance this by firearms. Please, for the love of god, stop trying to arm the English.

That is all.
I agree, there aren't many people as crazy as the Brits, imagine us with firearms... oh wait, the Brits founded America with the help of our European friends the French, Spanish etc...
I had to do a double-take, but I just realized your avatar is the same picture I have framed right next to me at this very minute. Spooky!

In response to the OP's question, I really don't know. There are pros and cons to the whole argument and I think it's already been said. The country seems to be in good shape (until lately) up until now without instituting gun requirements, so I think they should continue down that path. I don't live in the UK so I can't contribute on how effective/ineffective their police force is without firearms.
 

Devil's Due

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The_root_of_all_evil said:
Not a single gun was fired by the rioters. Not a single gun was found on the rioters.

I invite you to do some research next time. Or simply leave.
I invite you to the same. A man was shot [http://news.nationalpost.com/2011/08/09/this-is-criminality-pure-and-simple] by a rioter, and became the first fatality in the London 2011 Riots.

Staskala said:
Assault and murder? The US has the highest homicide rate [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Homicide_rate] in the Western world, you know.
Yet the UK has the highest crime rate [http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2009/07/02/article-1196941-05900DF7000005DC-677_468x636.jpg] in the entire developed WORLD [http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/this-britain/england-has-worst-crime-rate-in-the-west-693609.html].

As for the thread: I'm not sure, but I find it amusing for some of these arguments that aren't thought out. Such as the one that giving the police guns would give the criminals a desire to get guns as well. Uh, no, because criminals already have a desire to get the gun, that way they're the one in power over the police if things get nasty. I mean, really, when's the last time you heard the following convocation?

Criminal 1: Police have been causing us issues lately, we should find a way to deal with them.

Criminal 2: Since they don't carry guns... maybe we should get some guns of our own and have an advantage?

Criminal 1: What? Are you nuts? Why would we, law abiding citizens, want to break the law by getting a gun and risk hurting the police?! Get out, you don't deserve the title criminal anymore, you sick bastard!

Seriously? Criminals don't care.
 

n00beffect

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May 8, 2009
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Oh, f**k you guys, you're such softies! And I bet that most of you don't even live in the UK, and that's why you voted "No"... It's horrible what's going on here, and these people aren't protesting anything anymore, they're just thiefs looting around and taking advantage of the situation, ruining tons of people's lives, bussineses, homes and so on! So f**k them and their stupidity, let them get a few shot knee caps, that'll teach them to go around robbing everyone!
 

Stasisesque

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Devil said:
The_root_of_all_evil said:
Not a single gun was fired by the rioters. Not a single gun was found on the rioters.

I invite you to do some research next time. Or simply leave.
I invite you to the same. A man was shot [http://news.nationalpost.com/2011/08/09/this-is-criminality-pure-and-simple] by a rioter, and became the first fatality in the London 2011 Riots.
Sorry, have to clear something up here - the man was shot in Croydon. Croydon is notorious for being run by Yardies. The chances his shooting had any connection to the rioting are miniscule.
 

Caveworm

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Jun 8, 2011
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Hell NO.

We don't need our forces to carry guns.

Police in UK tend worth through community officers, close relationship with a community, and forceful, but no deadly tactics.

If you arm them, it will only send out a message of violence. The worst you get here at present might be a few handguns and knives, we don't need criminals having an arms race because the police now carry guns.
 

Kyte

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Dec 10, 2009
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No no no nope nope nope nope-a-dope-a-rope-a-chope super nope no no no way hell no eff that no nope no.
 

Azulito

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Jan 1, 2009
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No. It's unlikely to ever happen.

Hell, there is a f**kload of controversy over using even watercannons/rubber-bullets x.x;

What they need to do is to bring the military in to impose a stronger sense of authority
 

Xanthious

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orangeban said:
Yeah, because what we really need with all these riots now is civilians gunning down rioters outside there door. /sarcasm
That's EXACTLY what they need over there. If these shop owners who are being victimized by these idiots doing the rioting were armed and in front of, or inside of, their store how much looting or vandalism do you believe would be going on in that particular store or the neighboring stores? Furthermore, if some of these rioters were shot dead due to their mindless and selfish actions it would be no less than they deserve.

orangeban said:
(also, police aren't armed because (among many reasons) the cost of doing would never be repayed by the literal ones of people potentially saved.)
Fair enough. So how much is your life worth? What about your family's? Friends'? I'm sure the innocent people who's lives are lost every year (however many that may be) because of the British government's spineless stance on giving the police and/or private citizens the means to defend themselves are ecstatic to lay down their lives (or the lives of their loved ones) in the name of cost cutting.

orangeban said:
Edit: Also, British people can have guns, so long as they are rifles and shotguns, because they are the only really practical guns in modern British life (they're mainly for shooting farm pests, occasional hunting.) The pistol is a pointless risk, too many shootings have occured where someone can just waltz into a building because no-one can tell they have a pistol.
If the only thing people had to worry about were pests and game animals then being allowed only rifles and shotguns would make sense. Sadly that's not the case in the world we live in. In the state I live in people are allowed to waltz in and out of buildings all the time carrying concealed pistols and oddly enough there aren't people falling over dead left and right from accidents. Furthermore, having the means to defend yourself is never a pointless risk. The bottom line is that guns are just tools and like any tool whether they are used for good or for evil, responsibly or irresponsibly, is dependent solely on the person using it. People who would use guns responsibly should not be denied the protection they offer based on the fear others may use them for evil or use them irresponsibly.
 

DefinitelyPsychotic

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The_root_of_all_evil said:
[HEADING=1]No[/HEADING]

We predicted someone would ask this question. It's wrong. You cannot balance this by firearms. Please, for the love of god, stop trying to arm the English.

That is all.
Yeah, if you think American cops are crazy with guns, just wait until you see the English.
 

MartialArc

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Aug 25, 2010
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Azulito said:
No. It's unlikely to ever happen.

Hell, there is a f**kload of controversy over using even watercannons/rubber-bullets x.x;

What they need to do is to bring the military in to impose a stronger sense of authority
Worked for Stalin.
 

ImprovizoR

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Dec 6, 2009
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Police is full of retards, and you want to give them guns? Arming the police is never a solution. The real solution is fixing things that caused people to riot in the first place. Fixing real problems so something like that never happens again. Besides, these riots are long overdue if you ask me. People are desperate, economy is in decline. Everything's gone to shit and people feel like they have no say in anything. It was to be expected.
 

The Forces of Chaos

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ImprovizoR said:
Police is full of retards, and you want to give them guns? Arming the police is never a solution. The real solution is fixing things that caused people to riot in the first place. Fixing real problems so something like that never happens again. Besides, these riots are long overdue if you ask me. People are desperate, economy is in decline. Everything's gone to shit and people feel like they have no say in anything. It was to be expected.
As someone who lives in england, I think ImprovizoR is right to say that arming the police to have firearms as standard isn't a very good idea.
 

rossatdi

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Aug 27, 2008
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miketehmage said:
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?
And how many times has that happened in the last five years?

I have no idea if this is exhaustive, but it seems pretty solid seeing as its the trust for UK officers who have died on duty.

http://www.policememorial.org.uk/NationalRoll/National_Roll.htm

In 2010, no police officer deaths from firearms.
In 2009, one incident in Northern Ireland.
In 2008, one firearm death from accidental discharge during training.
In 2007, one incident when an armed response unit confronted a gunman who shot the constable in the head with a rifle.
In 2006, no police officer deaths from firearms.

Every death is a tragedy, but in the last five years only one policeman has died in an armed attack when the officer wasn't armed.
 
Feb 13, 2008
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Devil said:
The_root_of_all_evil said:
Not a single gun was fired by the rioters. Not a single gun was found on the rioters.
I invite you to the same. A man was shot [http://news.nationalpost.com/2011/08/09/this-is-criminality-pure-and-simple] by a rioter, and became the first fatality in the London 2011 Riots.
First fatality. After I wrote that. Check the timestamps please. Also it's questioned whether he was shot by a rioter or simply during the riot, the two haven't been connected yet.