Should UK police be armed?

[Scarabaeus sacer]

Should mainland UK police officers be armed and why? Not just armed response units but your everyday patrol officiers, etc

[Jom]

I don't see why it's particularly needed. Due to the stringent gun regulations in the United Kingdom, officers aren't going around expecting to have to stop a shoot-out. The fewer people that have guns, the better.

[Tiberios]

Seems to be working fine with them not having guns.

[tonymurphy1888]

Seems to be working fine with them not having guns.

There is still lots of crime so not really and we have alot of YO's in this country

[tonymurphy1888]

Yes, because people are scared of guns and because of the culture in Britian were just not so good at accepting this hearts and minds pish, so give the police fear factor, Might help.

[Jom]

Yes, because people are scared of guns and because of the culture in Britian were just not so good at accepting this hearts and minds pish, so give the police fear factor, Might help.

Except no country should use their police force as a symbol of fear. Where do you think we are? 1930s Russia?

[tonymurphy1888]

Except no country should use their police force as a symbol of fear. Where do you think we are? 1930s Russia?

How is that anything like 1930's Russia? Apart from the fact they had guns, Lots of countries use guns, how do you expect they should fight crime then?

[Jom]

How is that anything like 1930's Russia? Apart from the fact they had guns, Lots of countries use guns, how do you expect they should fight crime then?

Ahaha... oh you're serious. I'm not sure but perhaps you should look into British policing methods. While we don't have the best track record, we have prevented plenty of crime without shooting the culprits.

My 1930s point was to draw attention to your use of the word fear. I don't know about you but I would be pretty frightened of the Soviet state police if I were living in the USSR, particularly with my views on Stalin being in danger of becoming known.

[tonymurphy1888]

Ahaha... oh you're serious. I'm not sure but perhaps you should look into British policing methods. While we don't have the best track record, we have prevented plenty of crime without shooting the culprits.

My 1930s point was to draw attention to your use of the word fear. I don't know about you but I would be pretty frightened of the Soviet state police if I were living in the USSR, particularly with my views on Stalin being in danger of becoming known.

Glasgow Aka Europe's muder capital(full stop) I typed it for dramtic effect.

Not the same type of fear tho, your not gonna get dragged away for wearing a pair of Levis and for saying I dislike Stalin. It would be more like a look thers the police don't break the law, they have gun kinna fear.

We shot a Brazilian terrorist, so there.

[removeduser_487563287433]

Absolutely not. They're too corrupt, stupid and borderline criminal themselves.

[Katsumoto]

There is absolutely no need. We have trained special firearms units to deal with any situation where firearms are required. Giving the average copper a gun will just intimidate the local population, plus it can result in them using the gun needlessly (such as the time when a US officer pulled out a pistol when he was hit with a snowball).

[Poach]

Give the officers guns and the petty criminals start carrying guns.

Our police forces don't have weaponry so petty crime gangs don't feel the need to carry their own in order to continue their activities, making us all safer in general. We have Armed Response Units for the (rare) occasions when a criminal is carrying a firearm.

[PhilipO'Hayda]

no! but still with chavs on the rise growing in the UK they need something to mind them, just not guns.

[tonymurphy1888]

no! but still with chavs on the rise growing in the UK they need something to mind them, just not guns.

Are you not from the republic of Ireland.

[PhilipO'Hayda]

Are you not from the republic of Ireland.

yep!

[tonymurphy1888]

yep!

You just making sure we dont arm up before you guys invade lol

[PhilipO'Hayda]

You just making sure we dont arm up before you guys invade lol

no!

maybe you guys sould give out leaf lets, like we did

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

They work great over on this side.

[Jom]

Edit: nevermind.

[Boyar Son]

no! but still with chavs on the rise growing in the UK they need something to mind them, just not guns.

i don't understand. why does anyone want to be a 'chav' ? murder is an acceptable form of punishment in England can't you just shoot them?

[Thorn777]

I always found the idea of unarmed Police officers patrolling the streets in the UK quite funny and something that seems to me as a relic from the Victorian days. Always imagined hem as upgraded street-workers with a helmet when they get hit on the head, a whistle when they want to scare bandits away, a bat to hit back when that doesn't work, and a nice Eton accent to show the old ladys the way. I'm probably very wrong...

Anyway, whatever works for you.