I once read a book by a guy who rode along w/ police in the US & UK, and he said that a UK cop arresting someone is a lot more likely to be jumped by the guy's friends than a US cop is. Do you think this is true, and/or are you surprised by it?

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• We have had armed police in London since WW2, even before, possibly. But yes, not every police man is armed, thank goodness. When they are armed the end up shooting and killing innocent people/

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  by Jadey - Vive la difference on September 15th, 2009

• Thanks.

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  by Amorphous Blob on September 15th, 2009

• I understand that recent terrorist threats have caused all of them to become armed. True?
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  Thanks for the points that either of you may have given to me.

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  by Anonymous on September 15th, 2009

• False, I don't have the figures but there are some armed units, however the vast majority of police in London (and a greater majority elsewhere) are unarmed.

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  by Jadey - Vive la difference on September 15th, 2009

• Nowadays, that really isn't a "good" thing at all, and would certainly explain why UK police are more likely to handle perpetrators who resist arrest, than their USA counterparts, who are always armed.
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  If I was a Bobby, you can bet that I would have my own privately-owned revolver on my person at all times.

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  by Anonymous on September 15th, 2009

• But that's the difference... Americans want guns, British people don't. They surveyed the police, and I again don't have the figures but it was something extremely high like 90% don't want to be armed - that includes tasers. Different culture, different society and different needs. It may be necessary that most police are armed over there, but it isn't here.

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  by Jadey - Vive la difference on September 15th, 2009

• Trust me, it WILL be, during our lifetime...

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  by Anonymous on September 15th, 2009

• I am sure... things are getting worse, but it isn't right now. Until that time, I see absolutely no reason for them to be armed.

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  by Jadey - Vive la difference on September 15th, 2009

• You WILL.

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  by Anonymous on September 15th, 2009

Comments

Comments

• Well, there are police and there are police. In suburbia, they're able to be nice and helpful. In bad sections of big cities, they're probably more on-edge because of the stress of not knowing what might happen, and more likely to be more confrontational than defusional (new word! means "trying to defuse things".)

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  by Amorphous Blob on September 15th, 2009

• Yes, I guess they need to use different approaches for different situations - as good police should =)

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  by Jadey - Vive la difference on September 15th, 2009