Should all police carry guns?

[Spiderman]

dont agree with tazers either, a tazer SHOULD NOT be used as a compliance tool. They have been banned in some countries as being a weapon of torture.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_hNmI5gUJHo

[Sir Trev]

Do a search on the term "open carry". I read a piece on the BBC news website yesterday where a group of "open carry" folks in the US were interviewed. They go about their lives with a gun on their hip in plain view stating that the second amendment allowed them to do it.

Of course the discussion underneath the article descended into the usual arguments about the interpretation of the wording of the amendment from both pro- and anto views.

The point missed however by a lot of the argument was that as the US has a culture of gun use it is seen as acceptable and even necessary to carry a gun. I hope that never comes over to the UK as so many US traditions seem to...

[jamesterror]

.. more paperwork, simply, no.

[yorkie_chris]

Originally Posted by Spiderman

dont agree with tazers either, a tazer SHOULD NOT be used as a compliance tool. They have been banned in some countries as being a weapon of torture.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_hNmI5gUJHo

Plus the famous "don't taze me man" thing on youtube somewhere... for asking awkward questions.

I'm firmly in the camp that says firearms in general possession are a guarantor of freedom, firearms in the hands of law enforcement only are the tools of an oppressive government.

[Spiderman]

Originally Posted by yorkie_chris

Plus the famous "don't taze me man" thing on youtube somewhere... for asking awkward questions.

I'm firmly in the camp that says firearms in general possession are a guarantor of freedom, firearms in the hands of law enforcement only are the tools of an oppressive government.

yeh was just watching that exact clip and you know YC that both you, me and a whole bunch of other people would act just like that guy and end up just like him too.
I love the fact the hero cops in the clip also think it needs 4 of then and pepper spray to subdue the guys mother for being agry her son gets tazered when hes complying and lying on the floor as he was told to do.
Morons and idiots in charge of firearms of any kind scare me.

[the_lone_wolf]

Originally Posted by Spiderman

They have been banned in some countries as being a weapon of torture.

Which countries?

[Spiderman]

Originally Posted by the_lone_wolf

Which countries?

Switzerland was one and i know they were urging Canada and Portugal to ban them too, not sure if either of those countries did tho.

The UN Committee against Torture recently judged Tasers to be a potentially lethal form of torture and urged Portugual to reconsider arming its police with them.


"The use of these weapons causes acute pain, constituting a form of torture," the committee said at the end of its 39th session in Geneva.

"In certain cases they can even cause death, as has been shown by reliable studies and recent real-life events," it said.

Can I just remind everyone that cops do currently carry a firearm. CS Spray is a Section 5 Firearm...just wanted to remind you of that.

With regards to all cops having guns, like Bluepete, I don't want to see this happen. There isn't currently a big enough gun culture in the UK.

Just another point - Batons are not "effective" in dealing with knives. Having been in the situation where someone was coming at me and my colleague with 2 x 8inch kitchen knives, we chose our spray and only drew our batons as a last resort. To be close enough to baton someone with a knife, is to be close enough to be slashed/stabbed etc by said knife.

[gruntygiggles]

Originally Posted by Milky Bar Kid

Can I just remind everyone that cops do currently carry a firearm. CS Spray is a Section 5 Firearm...just wanted to remind you of that.

With regards to all cops having guns, like Bluepete, I don't want to see this happen. There isn't currently a big enough gun culture in the UK.

Just another point - Batons are not "effective" in dealing with knives. Having been in the situation where someone was coming at me and my colleague with 2 x 8inch kitchen knives, we chose our spray and only drew our batons as a last resort. To be close enough to baton someone with a knife, is to be close enough to be slashed/stabbed etc by said knife.

Good point, well made.

Originally Posted by yorkie_chris

I'm firmly in the camp that says firearms in general possession are a guarantor of freedom

You think if everyone carries a gun it means we have freedom? I'm really struggling to understand that!