“Support for a fully armed police service has grown among the rank and file as [UK] forces confront an unprecedented terrorist threat” theguardian.com reports, popping a pic of a rifle-wielding cop with an ancient cell phone at the top of the post. Nothing to do with the alarming rise in the number of your garden variety knife and gun crimes then. Anyway, a poll on tooling-up was taken and the results are in . . .
One in three (34%) respondents to a poll by the Police Federation of England and Wales (PFEW) were in favour of routine arming of all officers. The proportion was up from less than a quarter (23%) in the previous survey on the issue in 2006. However, two thirds did not support routine arming of all officers.
Yes, there is that. The majority of UK police don’t want themselves and their brother and sister officers to pack heat because . . . who knows? We can only guess.
Maybe it’s because the officers reckon carrying a gun would create an antagonistic relationship between law enforcement and the general public, ratcheting-up the level of violence, increasing the danger for both officers and society. That’s the party line: we don’t want to become like America!
Or maybe British and Welsh police officers feel personally anxious or unqualified to carry a gun. Ditto for their colleagues. If so, what does that tell you about the UK police? Or the UK in general.
Next question, how many want all subjects armed?
If the newage pansies running this once great nation had. or would, fight their invasion starting at beaches (the Channel) there would no such discussion. Start by evict the 3rd world trash they have allowed to immigrate over the last 10years (or 6-7 decades).
1 in 3 Americans would support DISARMING the popo in the US.
Why are police not US Citizens with 2nd Amendment rights like everyone else?
Because they act on the orders of others, citizens act for their own interests…
Agreed. I dont have a problem with ANYBODY (with at least some kind of training like liability or use of force law, and with on going training) carrying a gun at work. That includes cops.
1) Not enough accessories on that rifle.
2) Nice old-school cell phone
3) Banner in the background: “LIBERAL DEMOCRAT AUTUMN CONFERENCE” Why would THEY need armed protection?
Was wondering if someone was gonna point that out ,I mean the side mounted reflex sight would make sense if there was a fixed 4x on the rail as a primary ,but Jesus, a eotech, a side mounted reflex AND BUIS sights , this dude is a c.q.b ninjason.
Based on recent terrorist activities, English cops don’t need guns. They need spike strips.
No, they need directed energy (D-EMP) guns. Spike strips are proactive to protect an area.
D-EMP guns are reactive. Fry the electronics of the vehicle before it can ram.
Is that Nokia phone part of his body armor?
One in four would shoot themselves in the foot.
In regards to “the brick” phone in the picture:
I’ve been wondering for a while why the cops use such an antiquated phone or if it was some sort of radio I was unfamiliar with.
As it turns out, due to the UK’s well known electronic snooping old phones are coming back into Vogue with the criminal class in the UK, possibly for the same reasons that the cops never upgraded.
Those phones are dead-nuts simple and have a very long battery life. The fact that they’re simple actually makes it harder for modern hackers to “breach” the phones in some ways. It makes it harder to track the phone and harder to make it a listening device.
Those things are still possible of course but they’re not as simple for the modern security state to do as they are with smartphones. Modern spy software takes advantage of software on the phone. If the phone has no such software you have to go back to other, slower and more imprecise methods. Plus, real time tracking is harder and more imprecise in an urban environment because it all has to be done with tower triangulation rather than GPS.
Dead-nuts simple, long battery life, comparatively rugged construction and old architecture that is more difficult to take advantage of than just downloading a tool off the dark web. That’s my guess.
Makes sense, I hadn’t thought of the security of older phones before. I wonder if there is a modern phone that offers similar security and battery life with some usable modern features, like a camera. It does look a bit strange seeing older technology next to a more modern rifle.
If memory serves, *all* modern cell phones, even cheapie contract phones, have GPS location enabled by default…
I am pretty sure the phone has to be 4G to have GPS location software installed. At least that’s what I read on the interwebs.
They’re not using cheapie phones they’re using old phones.
The new standard for the criminal class in London is apparently the Nokia 8210. It was released in 1999. They’re like $20 USD on eBay.
No GPS on that thing but I bet you can play Snake!
It only looks like an old Nokia. The device is an Airwave radio. It’s a combination of an old-school Motorola brick radio, a push-to-talk communicator like a Nextel, and a cell phone.
Interesting. UK only too.
Thank you!
Correct: it’s an airwaves radio, which can do direct, relay or cell tower comms, as well as jumping into other networks such as subway comms systems – it’s a great bit of kit that massively enhances Police communications.
Yes, it looks like an old Nokia. No, it isn’t one…!
Also, a thought for those who are keen on weak hand drills etc., it’s likely easier to use actual buttons when bloody/sweaty/adrenalinized than to use a touch screen smart phone – and the airwaves system gives a lot more flexibility than a standard HF/VHF/UHF or whatever.
Not enough red dots on that rifle, needs one mounted on top of the EOtech too. Also, how is he supposed to activate the light when it’s on the side opposite his thumb? Doesn’t look like that rifle has seen many rounds, if any. Maybe UK police would be more comfortable carrying guns if they shot and trained with them regularly. But that’s not likely to happen.
Only if they stop shooting themselves in the foot.
“One in three (34%) respondents (officers) to a poll by the Police Federation of England and Wales (PFEW) were in favour of routine arming of all officers. ……. However, two thirds did not support routine arming of all officers”
Solution:
Fire the remaining 2/3rd’s and replace them with “right-thinking” candidates who support ALL officers being “armed”.
How the hell can the unarmed officers respond to calls for aid from fellow officers who are under attack by armed Islamic terrorists? Statistically in the UK more than 2/3rd’s (more like 9/10th’s) of the force is incapable of providing “back-up”, that’s “nuts”.
well they voted away there gun rights and now that crime has skyrocketed, they won’t have guns but their cops will and they will have a police state. getting closer and closer to being a communist country. and yet they are so stupid as t not see what is happening. and they will still have high crime rates because the people will still not be able to protect themselves. and they communist party here in the US ( although we call them the democratic party) will see the Uk as a model country because there people will be powerless and keep trying to have that here. it is all really people control not gun control. just remember next time you vote.
It’s not a mobile phone. It’s their police radio which has a number pad and screen similar to a phone although I think it can also be used as a conventional phone.
One in 3 UK cops are sane-2 in 3 are sissies…FIFY
Where’s that guy always ranting about disarming US cops. Why isn’t here applauding 2/3 UK popos. Better yet, why isn’t he in the UK? The police there come in just his flavor.
2/3rd of British cops don’t trust the Government to support them if they use force against a terrorist.
I trained with UK’s Armed Response Units and Swat. All, to a man and woman, top notch officers and shooters. That was one awesome aspect of their view and use of firearms. They took the responsibility very seriously and trained very seriously. Wish some of my fellow officers took the same responsibility seriously.
Wow, EOTECH hologram sight with Lancer Magazines ( Not fully loaded to max) just like what I have on my COLT LE6920 M4 Carbine. Love the U.K (nice place to visit) but I love the U.S.A, now let me just load a couple of my Lancer Mags for when I go to the range this weekend.
God Bless America!