Should Police be armed ?

[SwedishBaggie]

Many countries (including mine) have armed police without having a situation like the one in the US.

[mickd1961]

Many countries (including mine) have armed police without having a situation like the one in the US.

I think maybe your culture helps in this regard Thomas.

I’m not sure what the number of lowlife in your country is like and the general criminality but here it’s getting worse.

We’d never be as bad as America because us citizens are not allowed to carry a gun but we’ve had a lot of cases here recently involving policemen involved in r a p e and murder and various other crimes, I don’t trust ALL police to carry a gun.

I know of a certain firearms officer who’s been suffering from severe depression and who hasn’t informed his bosses, to me this is a real concern.

[DaveP67 is back!]

Many countries (including mine) have armed police without having a situation like the one in the US.

Have the police in Sweden always been armed Thomas?

[Dubbag]

Many countries (including mine) have armed police without having a situation like the one in the US.

But you have been a neutral country up until recently.....Now you are in NATO......

[mickd1961]

Didn’t Norwegian police carry guns whilst Anders Brevik was shooting dead 69 people in 2011?

I believe every police vehicle in Norway carries guns.

My point being, it’s impossible to cover off every incident with these sort of nutters.

When I hear the “we have learned lessons” and the “we don’t ever want anyone to suffer in the same way X family has” I just shake my head.

Empty and pointless word soup……there will always be a next time, a million years from now the same bol l o x will be being spouted.


Sadly.

[boinggazmic]

Absolutely not. The only way officers should be armed is if they are trained from day one of passing recruitment. As ex serviceman of 17 years in airborne regiment, it’ takes a long time learning basic weapons handling let alone knowing how and when to discharge such weapon. Training is so intense and you have to know the many scenarios and how to react in such situations..some of the incidents I see on line officers can’t even deploy a taser accurately..again this is such a tough and dangerous route to go down.

[mickd1961]

Absolutely not. The only way officers should be armed is if they are trained from day one of passing recruitment. As ex serviceman of 17 years in airborne regiment, it’ takes a long time learning basic weapons handling let alone knowing how and when to discharge such weapon. Training is so intense and you have to know the many scenarios and how to react in such situations..some of the incidents I see on line officers can’t even deploy a taser accurately..again this is such a tough and dangerous route to go down.

It’s good to get the perspective of someone like yourself who understands firearms.

I have only ever used a proper gun on one occasion and I was absolutely useless with it on a clay pigeon shooting ( or not in my case ) day.

I’d never realised how severe the recoil is on a gun, the following day my upper arm/chest area was black and blue.

I think most people think it’s as simple as point and shoot……it isn’t.

From the way they handle tasers I think there’s more chance of them shooting the ear off a passer by than the actual criminal!

[baggieal]

Given that the Police in this country are more armed than you think ( not beat bobbies ) these specialist armed units should be on standby for an Aussie type shopping centre incident. If in this case a nutter is actively killing innocent people any armed police unit should aim for the head and eradicate the scum - just like the Aussie cop.

If the nutter has killed any innocents who cares about whether this said person claims to have mental health issues. Take the person out.

Still feel we should bring back the death penalty for certain murders. Drug dealers/child groomers should be dealt with the same way as they are in Saudi!

[mickd1961]

Given that the Police in this country are more armed than you think ( not beat bobbies ) these specialist armed units should be on standby for an Aussie type shopping centre incident. If in this case a nutter is actively killing innocent people any armed police unit should aim for the head and eradicate the scum - just like the Aussie cop.

If the nutter has killed any innocents who cares about whether this said person claims to have mental health issues. Take the person out.

Still feel we should bring back the death penalty for certain murders. Drug dealers/child groomers should be dealt with the same way as they are in Saudi!

According to what the armed guys I know tell me, they are on standby 24/7.

If something kicks off involving guns or a serious attack such as the other day they do get there quickly.

Obviously the response is quicker if you live in a major town or city than if you live out in the sticks.

If either of us was out shopping today though and a bloke with a machete stuck us from behind, a copper with a gun would’ve made no difference.

It’s usually the brave person on scene who has the biggest effect.

[SwedishBaggie]

Have the police in Sweden always been armed Thomas?

As far as I can remember, Dave. The same in many other European countries.