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Arming the police


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No, I wasn't suggesting anything.  I was asking for opinions.

 

The citizens of the US have a written Constitution and a written Bill of Rights which contains guarantees and words such as "inviolate".  We have neither and, as a result, we can be arrested for "words" which may be described as "hate speech" or possessing any object which may be described as a "weapon"..

 

Personally, I am very uncomfortable with the idea of any of our police being routinely armed and, if pressed, I would argue that the citizens(?) of this country should be allowed to be equally well(?) armed.  As it stands, you can be arrested for possessing a broom handle as it might be described as an "offensive weapon" whilst a police officer may carry a truncheon which IS and offensive weapon..  Just want to redress the balance.

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Guest PJS1979

I think the balance doesnt need re-adjusted there are plenty of scum bags willing to use weapons already and i certainly wouldnt want them allowed to freely carry items, the justice system is already way too soft, re-adjust the balance for the good people of society and bring back corporal and capital punishments !

Edited by PJS1979
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I remember my friends in the late seventies early eighties being beaten up by the Polices' "special units" and suppose as such always feel uncomfortable with armed police. Also, growing up in run down areas, remember the hostility of police towards us and their sheer lack of interest if a crime had been committed.  Life's experiences have great bearing on how we view things.

 

However I fully support specially trained and vetted police officers carrying arms of any type required to level the playing field with those they may face.

 

On saying that I know of several times police officers have "illegally" deployed pepper spray (mace). Even one instance of a prosecution brought against an officer who covered my friends three children, all under 5 at the time, when it transpired it wasn't even my friend who had committed the offence they came to investigate! 

 

Most (and I'll stick to that) police officers are not psychologically or morally fit to carry arms of any type. As such any item that can cause harm or distress must ONLY be put in the hands of officers who are mentally suitable and licensed to carry such items with regular checks to see if they remain suitable. I wonder how many officers in the police would be granted a firearms licence if they were not in the force?

 

I have no doubt there are a minority of good, honest, upstanding officers in the police (I've met some of them, and some of my friends are amongst them). These are the people to carry weapons that hurt or are harmful. 

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I think the balance doesnt need re-adjusted there are plenty of scum bags willing to use weapons already and i certainly wouldnt want them allowed to freely carry items, the justice system is already way too soft, re-adjust the balance for the good people of society and bring back corporal and capital punishments !

 

That's my problem..  There is no "balance" and not enough "trust". 

As for the "good people of society", do you mean anyone who is willing to be "controlled" by "authorities" and will believe what they are told and will "do as they are told"?

 

Corporal and Capital punishments are a completely separate topic.

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I remember my friends in the late seventies early eighties being beaten up by the Polices' "special units" and suppose as such always feel uncomfortable with armed police. Also, growing up in run down areas, remember the hostility of police towards us and their sheer lack of interest if a crime had been committed.  Life's experiences have great bearing on how we view things.

And I remember the miner's strike.  Taught many people what the police are, fundamentally, all about.

 

"However I fully support specially trained and vetted police officers carrying arms of any type required to level the playing field with those they may face."

 

Given that many officers have no idea of what they are going to encounter until something actually happens, that means most, if not all, of them.

 

"On saying that I know of several times police officers have "illegally" deployed pepper spray (mace)."

That's the problem.  Sooner or later, someone is going to use whatever is at their disposal.

 

"Most (and I'll stick to that) police officers are not psychologically or morally fit to carry arms of any type"

 

Agreed, and the same is true of the "general public".  Problem is, who runs the "vetting" system.

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Various ways of looking at this, but we have to remember this country has changed dramatically

since we just had the friendly local bobby.

Police are now meeting dangerous situations unheard of just a few decades ago. Apart from the

terror threat and the odd nutter with a blade, we also have the binge drinkers at the weekends

who turn violent and the police have to try and calm them down. Police are injured every weekend

by these idiots and you may say that's part of the job.

Well why should the police be sworn at, spat at, punched and kicked while trying to do their job.

As far as I'm concerned they should give them a warning and if that has no effect, then they

should be tasered immediately.

They only have themselves to blame.

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I fully agree with Brochbuilder,

 

The Police have to put up with severe abuse every weekend often resulting in physical injuries. A pepper spray or a truncheon are not much protection against a drugged up or drunk individual with access to a knife.

We have to accept that the officers will be properly trained and responsible for the deployment and use of a Tazer. 99% of us would never put ourselves in a position to be Tazered.

I go on Holiday every year the last few years it's been Holland Germany and France.

As I have got on with my holiday all the police officers are carrying handgun some machine guns, do I feel frightened? No just reassured and protected. Doe anyone NOT go on Holiday to Spain or Tenerife etc because the police carry firearms, I think not.

Shetland's police do a remarkable job and I for one feel safe and protected. If Tazers make the job of protecting us easier than I for one support them whole heartedly

I was a little more than surprised that Tavish has got the wrong end of the stick on this one.

Like all crime it's a voluntary club, do nothing wrong and you will not be punished. You have to be involved in a very serious incident to be Tazered.

Keep up the good work Police Scotland you have my vote, I'm not so sure Tavish will next time.

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But that is the reality George, and it's not the honest and goodhearted citizen that tends or asks

to get tasered.

Nothing is ever perfect but we need to give our police the support and the equipment to keep us

and them safe.

It's easy to criticise those on the front line from the comfort of an armchair.

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