Re: Is it time to arm our Police ?
Posted: Sat Nov 14, 2015 3:04 pm
I need one too , the reason - "despatching mentally ill livestock"
Yep, I remember those times all too well, but the last time I confronted terrorists, one stuck a gun in my face and pulled the trigger. I had an 18" wooden stick to defend myself with. He won - sort of. Oddly enough, today is the anniversary. (thumbs)Redmurty wrote:Ray how many times have you walked around with an empty weapon whilst in the military ? I know I have lots of times in the height of the "Troubles" I patrolled with a stave.
Oh YES, there are serious hurdles in arming the police. Not the least of which is that we all know some that should not be trusted with a tooth brush let alone a gun but these are difficult times. Fortunately most are OK guys despite what some might say.Redmurty wrote: What about rules of engagement for the police, how often are they going to the range to train, what do you do with the one's that refuse to carry arms ?
cheers Spud
My best friend has the same license but he cannot take a gun to the theater.SteveW wrote:I thought it was impossible, but last year I was on a 3 day off road thing with a chap who was a game keeper.ZX Raziel wrote:How hard is it these days to get a handgun licence ?
Is it still possible ?
He was licenced to carry a handgun for "Despatching injured livestock"
Coming from Northern Ireland, an area of the U.K. Where all police are armed I can say yes. Arm all police. Off duty and on duty. Taking here a real life uk example the police do not go round drawing weapons needlessly.Gedge wrote:Absolutely not....here is no proof that such action could prevent an attack and it ends up with every minor encounter resulting in guns being drawn and people being shot...
We need tighter security at high risk sites and a stop to the decimation of police numbers and resources ...no need for more guns....( terrorist will always find a weak spot...just have to make it harder for them to find..)
Fair point.Redmurty wrote:but if enough refused it would be pointless
More than likely.Redmurty wrote:... would it be "one day a year at the range" to qualify like self defence training ?
If the current situation in Northern Ireland continues to improve to a point where the security is no more heightened than Wales/Scotland/England I wonder if the police will give up their weapons?TomBoyNI wrote:Coming from Northern Ireland, an area of the U.K. Where all police are armed I can say yes. Arm all police. Off duty and on duty. Taking here a real life uk example the police do not go round drawing weapons needlessly.Gedge wrote:Absolutely not....here is no proof that such action could prevent an attack and it ends up with every minor encounter resulting in guns being drawn and people being shot...
We need tighter security at high risk sites and a stop to the decimation of police numbers and resources ...no need for more guns....( terrorist will always find a weak spot...just have to make it harder for them to find..)
Every use of firearms is examined by a third party and scuntinised by many. Simple put we do not have Hollywood heroes running about but well trained officers who can initially reapond to many incidents types than their colleagues on the mainland would not be well enough equipped to deal with it.
Time to realise the baddies are armed so the good guys need to be too. The days of the Bobby armed only with a truncheon is outdated and dangerous.