Arming cops will result in gun culture

AS a close relative of a serving officer in the world’s most professional police force (our own) I would say it would be unwise to routinely arm every single police officer in the UK.

Simply take a look at what happens in the USA. It is a chicken and egg situation.

If you arm every cop, the bad guys then “tool up”. Barack Obama has fought during his years as US president to try to get control over there.

We have control here so don’t let us jeopardise that by scrambling for a gun culture.

I believe that having thousands of police with guns would encourage criminals to carry weapons.

The fact that they don’t means that the use of guns by criminals remains unusual.

Some would disagree, saying that London needs armed police. That argument will go on.

Armed response vehicles (ARVs) are stationed all over the country but they can only be used on the say-so of a very senior officer and are deployed as a last resort.

Make no mistake, if certain people believe they can go out and hold up an off-sales, or commit any crime where a gun or other deadly weapon is used, they deserve to be shot by armed police.

These men and women are crackshots — so be warned.

No one wants this country, or even London, to become a version of the United States which some believe is becoming a “police state”. Americans admire our police force.

The relative I mentioned earlier is highly trained and would disarm most assailants but God help them if they resisted!

Dundee reader.