Police must be armed to fight terrorist threat
After the terror outrage at London Bridge and Borough Market, the time has come for police to routinely carry arms. Forget what those who do not have to face armed terrorists say. Virtually every country in the world has armed officers. Police should not have to face a criminal or terrorist with just a baton.
I was a marksman in the Royal Navy and carried arms at times, but this did not mean I went around shooting people.
How many people are going to be killed or injured before our police officers on the beat can carry firearms? Terence Matthews, Upminster, Essex Can anyone please tell me what use an unarmed police officer is any longer? Not only can he or she not protect the public, they cannot protect themselves, as recent events have shown. The clear and present danger from Islamic terrorism is not going away, no matter how many songs we sing and candles we light after each new atrocity. Peter Rea, Kenilworth After the barbaric scenes at London Bridge and Borough Market, one of my daughters said: ‘Dad, why would anyone have kids these days?’ It’s a scary world. I know how she feels.
After the attacks, Theresa May praised the police. It’s a pity she didn’t praise them a bit more in her tenure as Home Secretary. Then perhaps she would not have cut their numbers, and eroded their pay and conditions, thus leaving us all at risk. Peter Bryant, Ramsgate, Kent It beggars belief that our country sends billions of pounds in overseas aid, yet investing in adequate protection for our people is somehow not a priority. No expense should be spared with regard to the security and safety of our own people. Ruth Peberdy, Stawell, Somerset David Cameron was blamed on last week’s Letters page for the rise of terrorism in the UK. But what about ‘Teflon Tony’, who took us into wars many years earlier with his pack of lies around weapons of mass destruction? John Roberts, Bradford Isn’t it about time senior Muslim clerics in this country put out a fatwa on these so-called Islamist terrorists, or are they too frightened to do so? Tony Pusey, Helston, Cornwall Terrorists’ warped interpretation of Islam must be rooted out by Muslim leaders and communities. Nick Fletcher, Malton, North Yorkshire