Our police are in the line of fire — they need guns
THE question of whether British police should be armed has again cropped up following the recent atrocity at Westminster. I am 73 and have been retired from the police for 25 years, and we have been having these discussions for as long as I can remember. This debate was ongoing through the time of the IRA bombings, religious unrest, various European terror groups, riots in British cities and now Middle Eastern and Islamic terrorism. The argument against arming the police usually goes along the lines of: ‘Look at America — it’s like the Wild West, shooting at innocent citizens, normally followed by civil unrest or even riots. We don’t want to end up like that.’ The suggestion is that our police are not to be trusted with a gun. But as a frequent visitor to Europe, especially Germany, and to a police friend at his home in Belgium, I have seen how normal it is for their officers to carry guns. It’s just part of their equipment — hardly noticed and hardly ever used. The public are also aware of this and do show more respect. I remember my friend being called out on duty during dinner. He returned a short time later, took off his jacket and placed his belt and gun on a chair. He was surprised at my amazement, but it was just normal for his family. He had never had the need to use his gun and I consider that, during my own police service, I would not have needed to use a firearm either. After seeing armed police throughout Europe, my opinion is that British officers should carry guns. In the fullness of time they, and the public, would accept this as a part of normal life. I know the image of good old George Dixon, with only his truncheon for protection, is still in many people’s minds, but times move on. Our police need to be on the same level as the criminals they are facing. At present, because of a variety of government meddling, only the ‘bad guys’ carry guns as a norm. It needs fixing.