Well as im sure you are all aware by now PC Sharon Beshenivsky was killed whislt attending a call to a personal attack alarm at a travel agents in Bradford. Her crewmate PC Teresa Milburn was shot and injured in the incident.
This is quite an alarming storey which has provoked some debate over the arming of police and the increase of armed incidents in many forces. Only the next day in my area there was an armed robbery where shots were discharged, but luckily no rounds hit any body.
This is on another point frightening as the weapons being used are live and not replica weapons and are loaded with live amunition. Also the seeming willingness for people to use the weapons against police and the public.
Also other weapons are being used, mainly knives and suspects seem to be only to willing to have a go at the police in an attempt to "get away".
What is this country turning to where the poeple who are there to protect you are coming under increasing threat from suspects which in all honesty we are not trained to deal with. Our numbers are so low backup is not always nearby (read upto 20 mins away on immediate), Our ARV's are to low in number and are streched out over the whole force, suspects no longer wait on a scene which is contained to think their way out, they just fight and shoot their way out before extra units can get there as they dont want to face armed police.
So what is the solution.
There are groups who dont want police to be armed because of the risk of innocent people being hurt or killed, they cite fatal shootings by police as the main reason why police shoud not be armed.
There are groups who feel that we should be armed by routine as if the criminals are willing to shoot should we not be able to protect the public and ourselves.
People say if we were to arm then we would become like the USA and armed crime would soar as more criminals would up the anti to compete with us.
I am more in favour of having more avaliable armed officers, not dedicated ARV but your standard PC who is firearms autherised, has acess to weapons and is trained in their use, who has passed the psycological testing, physical testing and firearms testing.
The same would apply to Taser, by giving us more options both lethal and non-lethal we could become more effective, this would instill more public trust as they would know we CAN deal with the more increasing violence, the criminals would know we can deal effectively with the incident and may think twice about carrying weapons, let alone using them.
Also we need proper deterants in the courts, if you carry a weapon then you will be punished properly, if you use a weapon then likewise.
No one wants armed police walking around with machine guns, but discrete arming may be the only way ahead.
JS
