Following The Paris Attacks, The Pm Has Ordered A Review Of Police Gun Use?

[anotheoldgit]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-35144366

/// BBC political correspondent Chris Mason says the atrocity has provoked deep soul-searching within government and among the police, raising the question of how the UK would cope if something similar were to happen here. ///

If recent police shootings are anything to go by, there would be numerous suspensions prior to lengthy and expensive inquiries.

But we have to be very careful, when we have Labour warning, of the possible damage to community relations.

Best to make firearms illegal for the cops, we don't want to upset the 'community' now do we?

[retrocop]

NJ
As a former armed police protection officer I can only thank you for your rational unbiased assessment and research in this particular serious situation the police and populace find themselves in these dangerous times.
I will never condone gung ho armed police officers but we all have to go through due process of law if wrongdoing is suspected and I do not appreciate knee jerk reactions with regards to certain actions that some have had no experience and would not wish to put themselves in an experience where they may need to use a firearm to protect their fellow innocent citizens.
I really feel that I should not comment on these debates because I am often questioned as to my experience on such matters which I find lamentable.
Thanks for an unbiased and reasonable assessment. I believe that you and I would have the integrity to admit when a cop went rogue.God forbid.

[scowie]

@New Judge: Going by this page it's 16 incidents: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Police_use_of_firearms_in_the_United_Kingdom

And the lacks of convictions just goes to show there is a lack of evidence, hence why there is a need for personal cameras.

What “the community” needs is assurance that police will only discharge their weapons when absolutely necessary, and that if one of them instead "panic-fires", the least that will happen is that that police officer loses their job. Of course we need armed police officers; we also need accountability. What we don't need is armed police officers who know that if they are a bit too trigger-happy, their fellow team members will back them up.