“All police officers in England and Wales are to be asked if they want to routinely carry a gun,” telegraph.co.uk reports. “The survey by the Police Federation, which represents 123,000 officers, will begin next week.” As a certain pointy-eared Vulcan used to say, fascinating.
Here we have a country that disarmed its populace in the name of public safety. “We’re so civilized we don’t need guns,” went the logic. “Not even the police need guns.”
Then, well, yes, the police needed guns.
But only highly-trained, specialized rapid response armed officers. Who aren’t all that well-trained. mirror.co.uk: Blundering armed police accidentally fire guns into their cars, tables and even their own legs.
Be that as it is, The Land of Hope and Glory is now home to soaring gun, knife and acid attacks, not to mention the recent unarmed police encounter with terrorists. Which is why her Majesty’s government is hiring and training (such as it is) 1500 more armed officers. And considering arming the average Bobby on the street..
The UK is facing the fact that yes, they do need firearms to defend against criminals, crazies and terrorists. But again, only the police!
Hang on. If the police need guns to counter criminals, doesn’t that mean British citizens subjects need them too? After all, when seconds count, the [armed] police are only minutes away.
I doubt the average Brit will make this connection, regardless of whether or not their government-paid protectors are tooled-up. Not for a while anyway.
And when they do realize that they are their own first responders, what are the odds that their class-bound, Oxbridge-educated statist politicians will entertain the idea?