Police firearma officers in the UK

[oggbashan]

In a recent typical year, although UK police firearms officers were called out multiple times, in a whole year they fired SEVEN shots.

How does that compare with any US City?

 

[pecksniff]

What are "firearms officers"?

 

[butters]

What are "firearms officers"?

the limited number of police officers permitted to carry firearms for armed response needs... approximately 5%

Today only a small proportion of officers are authorised to use firearms. Latest Home Office figures show there were just 6,653 officers authorised to use firearms in England and Wales - about 5% of the total number.

None of which implies, of course, that the British police are somehow gun-free. Each police force has its own firearms unit. Police armed response vehicles have been deployed since 1991.

by and large, the british public and the police themselves don't want universal arming of the police force. it's something of a culture shock for brits coming to america, to see so many guns carried. even though i'm one of the most law abiding people i know, and would happily chat with cops in the uk, it's not something i'd opt to do now except for emergency business.

 

[pecksniff]

British cops can afford to go unarmed save for clubs, because gun control in that country is so effectual that the people they arrest don't have guns either.

Kinda blows a hole in the "only outlaws will have guns" argument.

 

[jaF0]

In a recent typical year, although UK police firearms officers were called out multiple times, in a whole year they fired SEVEN shots.

How does that compare with any US City?

Bronx NY several years back, three officers fired 81 times at an individual that wasn't struggling at all. One officer reloaded at least once.

Cleveland OH, a group of officers fired something like 137 rounds into a car they had boxed in after a chase. The occupants were no longer a threat and were surrendering.


https://i.pinimg.com/originals/5c/21/a3/5c21a325b5e0ad79217fbe0d6963a059.jpg