Forum Home
PC World Chat
Thread ID: 114666	2010-12-12 19:35:00	Should the Police be armed	Digby (677)	PC World Chat

Post ID	Timestamp	Content	User
1161088	2010-12-13 01:17:00	Police should be armed and the gun should be out of the holster at every indcident until the safety of the officer is established or the incident is over. The American police have the right idea I think. Why would anyone want to follow the sick Americans? They pull their guns - and shoot - at the slightest provocation. If you we must model ourselves on anyone, make it a sensible model. Look at the Royal Ulster Constabulary or the NSW Police. At least the police there are sensible.	Roscoe (6288)
1161089	2010-12-13 01:59:00	There are 2 or 3 people in this thread living in dreamland. :)	Trev (427)
1161090	2010-12-13 02:25:00	I'm all for a FULLY TRAINED and armed police force. If some yobo came at me swinging a golf club, i'd shoot'em too in those circumstances. But it seems some people here would be prepared to take beating so poor criminal won't get hurt. Plus, to my understanding, with that incident in the news, the car was stolen. So knowing this, if he did have a gun, he could have had them both out on the ground and handcuffed.	Nyuuji (5460)
1161091	2010-12-13 03:00:00	They should be armed but one downside is that in the states most of the police officers who commit suicide use their service weapon . NZ has a high depression and suicide rate, giving them firearms could be a bad decision, its part of the reason they are still debating whether or not to permanently arm the police . I don't think we need to be like the US where in some states the cops have a weapon trained on you at all times but some form of protection needs to be introduced, something a little more threatening than an electric shock . I find it so totally unacceptable that a polizei could train a gun on me at a traffic stop . This WILL happen once the polizei get guns on their hips like wild west gun slingers, the rules around will get loosened to the usa procedures . I do not think they should be armed . The thought of some police officers being armed scares me . I do think they perhaps need better training and tougher entry requirements . I'm with SP8 . We need a shift in our perception of officers, though . I see traffic police as just above the level of security rent-a-cops, i . e . in both examples, wanna-bes who never made the grade . Although traffic police ostensibly are part of the police force, there still seems to be a perception even within the force of "them" and "us" . And I'm also with you, DeSade . If traffic police are to be armed, I would want to be assured of their maturity to carry arms . I just skipped a whole bunch of answers as these few caught my eye first and seem to have a stereotypical John Wayne-Dirty Harry vision of what happens in the US . First, ALL sworn officers here are carrying side arms and are qualified to use them . Some desk police personnel and secretaries and such are not armed, but they can qualify if they want to and it's also approved by their captain or immediate supervisor . Some are just older cops taken off the streets until they retire - and they can still carry, and even CCW . They too work in a very hostile environment with Deuces, drug-runners, nether criminals and psycho-cop killers who don't differentiate between an armed or unarmed civil employee pulling them over for a citation . If a police officer were performing perfunctory duties such as traffic control and he was needed NOW as a protector coupled with deadly force to mitigate a situation, what good would a meter maid or rent-a-cop be in that situation? I imagine a less-than-armed officer could tell a kind-hearted perpetrator to wait for an appropriately armed minion to arrive to take the situation into hand or perhaps toss a citation book at the criminal and then run like hell . I'd rather have an officer over-armed than less-armed for MY safety . Deadly force is sometimes necessary and the niceties of parliamentary procedure is all well and good - but when it comes down to protecting YOUR life, you'd want the best protection available . We'd all like to have bobbies on the corner in big hats and brass whistles who know each and every one in the neighborhood and gets called by name by the storekeepers and pedestrians . Those days are long gone and being in denial of that pink-place is just rife with a Pollyanna attitude and lack of mental reality . Now - ABOUT TRAFFIC STOPS --- Yes, it's true that many cops are shot in traffic stops - it's no wonder that they are nervous about each and every traffic stop . A cop has to instantly read each and every interaction as it happens and cannot confer with the front office for the situation at hand . It's too fast and too deadly . The driver could be armed, a drug runner or a serial killer and they shoot first and then you have a dead cop and lots of paperwork . If you get stopped, you should place your hands at 'Ten & Two' on the steering wheel (Eight & Four in Upsidedown Land) and don't make any sudden or unannounced moves . Just keeping your hands in plain view is a reassurance to the officer and they usually won't even bother unsnapping the strap on their firearm . It's too bad that society has slunk to such a depraved condition where a cop can be shot for writing a traffic ticket for a burned out tail light - but it happens every day here in the US . Personally I don't know how a cop cannot become cynical and care less about protecting the citizen - he just wants to get his shift over and go home alive . I want the officers armed - and they should be armed better than the criminals, and alas, that isn't usually so . I want ALL the officers armed since they are spread so thin here in the US that sometimes it can be a half hour or more for help to arrive, especially in areas in which I live . If they wear a uniform, I want them to carry lethal force . If one complains about over-zealous cops, just remember that we all live in this world and since WE (present company included) are all law-abiding and as righteous persons we have to put up with the conditions that bear on all of us for letting things get as bad as they are . When I call a cop, I don't want to hear: "Do you want a meter maid, a secretary, a school crossing guard or a real gun-totin' cop?" I want a real cop . With a gun . With LOTS of guns . Lots of BIG guns .	SurferJoe46 (51)
1161092	2010-12-13 03:06:00	Joe, get the he'll out of Dodge and retire to nz. :pf1mobmini:	Metla (12)
1161093	2010-12-13 03:07:00	Stupid iPhone spell check :pf1mobmini:	Metla (12)
1161094	2010-12-13 03:13:00	Hi Joe RE: They too work in a very hostile environment with Deuces, drug-runners, nether criminals and psycho-cop killers who don't differentiate between an armed or unarmed civil employee pulling them over for a citation . I get the feeling that you think such people don't live and work down here . People who believe that, including a number on this post, need to get a life and read the annual stats . . . . .	Scouse (83)
1161095	2010-12-13 03:14:00	I just skipped a whole bunch of answers as these few caught my eye first and seem to have a stereotypical John Wayne-Dirty Harry vision of what happens in the US. First, ALL sworn officers here are carrying side arms and are qualified to use them. Some desk police personnel and secretaries and such are not armed, but they can qualify if they want to and it's also approved by their captain or immediate supervisor. Some are just older cops taken off the streets until they retire - and they can still carry, and even CCW. They too work in a very hostile environment with Deuces, drug-runners, nether criminals and psycho-cop killers who don't differentiate between an armed or unarmed civil employee pulling them over for a citation. If a police officer were performing perfunctory duties such as traffic control and he was needed NOW as a protector coupled with deadly force to mitigate a situation, what good would a meter maid or rent-a-cop be in that situation? I imagine a less-than-armed officer could tell a kind-hearted perpetrator to wait for an appropriately armed minion to arrive to take the situation into hand or perhaps toss a citation book at the criminal and then run like hell. I'd rather have an officer over-armed than less-armed for MY safety. Deadly force is sometimes necessary and the niceties of parliamentary procedure is all well and good - but when it comes down to protecting YOUR life, you'd want the best protection available. We'd all like to have bobbies on the corner in big hats and brass whistles who know each and every one in the neighborhood and gets called by name by the storekeepers and pedestrians. Those days are long gone and being in denial of that pink-place is just rife with a Pollyanna attitude and lack of mental reality. Now - ABOUT TRAFFIC STOPS --- Yes, it's true that many cops are shot in traffic stops - it's no wonder that they are nervous about each and every traffic stop. A cop has to instantly read each and every interaction as it happens and cannot confer with the front office for the situation at hand. It's too fast and too deadly. The driver could be armed, a drug runner or a serial killer and they shoot first and then you have a dead cop and lots of paperwork. If you get stopped, you should place your hands at 'Ten & Two' on the steering wheel (Eight & Four in Upsidedown Land) and don't make any sudden or unannounced moves. Just keeping your hands in plain view is a reassurance to the officer and they usually won't even bother unsnapping the strap on their firearm. It's too bad that society has slunk to such a depraved condition where a cop can be shot for writing a traffic ticket for a burned out tail light - but it happens every day here in the US. Personally I don't know how a cop cannot become cynical and care less about protecting the citizen - he just wants to get his shift over and go home alive. I want the officers armed - and they should be armed better than the criminals, and alas, that isn't usually so. I want ALL the officers armed since they are spread so thin here in the US that sometimes it can be a half hour or more for help to arrive, especially in areas in which I live. If they wear a uniform, I want them to carry lethal force. If one complains about over-zealous cops, just remember that we all live in this world and since WE (present company included) are all law-abiding and as righteous persons we have to put up with the conditions that bear on all of us for letting things get as bad as they are. When I call a cop, I don't want to hear: "Do you want a meter maid, a secretary, a school crossing guard or a real gun-totin' cop?" I want a real cop. With a gun. With LOTS of guns. Lots of BIG guns. Joe, you're forgetting every man and his dog has a gun in the US of A, here in NZ, its only hunters and crims (bad, bad boys)...We dont need every officers carrying a gun, we need them to be partnered....I wouldnt mind if they had tazers though!	SolMiester (139)
1161096	2010-12-13 03:17:00	Error Guy... what did you have in mind.... but some form of protection needs to be introduced, something a little more threatening than an electric shock. Bow and arrows I didn't have anything in mind actually, if firearms were not issued as standard kit for what ever reason then something needs to be done that is more effective than a single shot Taser. In the latest incident two people were involved, the guy might have been able to get one but the 2nd one would have imposed a risk, then by that time offender No. 1 could have recovered and there is nothing worse than a wounded pig, so now the officer is faced by a painful situation. Remembering the officer in this incident was not equipped with a taser (as far as I am aware) any outcome speculated outcome just that, speculated. we can all say a 9mm Glock aimed at one of their chests may have saved the day, or not Also the training for firearms is a huge expense, 50-90c a round, the hiring of firearms instructors, Staff safety and tactical training, extra exams to be taken regarding firearms, protocol to learnt and taught about engaging with a firearm. It is a very expensive and long process to get there, can the country in view of the current economics afford to give every officer a firearm or can other safety measures be introduced? there are a lot of front line policing staff in NZ so equipping all front line officers with a weapon is a big decision, not just a yes or no question.	The Error Guy (14052)
1161097	2010-12-13 03:19:00	Joe, get the he'll out of Dodge and retire to nz . :pf1mobmini: Ohhhhhhhhhh! How I'd like to!!! :crying All that lamb on the hoof and good wine and penguins for pets . Can you guys wear cowboy hats there and not have them fall off into outer space? I mean, you ARE upside\down and all . Seriously - in another lifetime I'd be there in a heartbeat . But I feel relatively safe here as I know the rules of engagement and I don't (flagrantly) commit ticket-able offenses . The last traffic ticket I got was in 1964 . Yeah - I'm THAT good! But I very seriously support the police, even though they are a testimony to lax laws, soft judges and bleeding heart liberals who want to rehabilitate serial killers if they only kill thirty or less civilians . I don't know how the cops can sleep or even live with the underbelly that they see and protect from each other all day long . You gots a spare room, Met?	SurferJoe46 (51)
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13