Question for Brits about British Police

Discussion in 'The Red Room' started by phantomofthenet, Oct 22, 2007.

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  1. phantomofthenet

    phantomofthenet Locked By Request

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    So I was watching Torchwood and in this one episode (forgot the title), Captain Jack had to teach Gwen - who is a former Cardiff police officer - how to shoot a gun.

    This, from my provincial American viewpoint, utterly blew my mind. Is this for real, that cops on your side of the pond don't even get some firearms training? What happens if rioting ensues, or something?

    Someone enlighten me, please?
    phantomofthenet, Oct 22, 2007
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  2. Dan Leach

    Dan Leach Climbing Staff Member Moderator

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    British cops dont carry guns. Only special firearm units do
    Dan Leach, Oct 22, 2007
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  3. Darkening

    Darkening Guest

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    No firearm training at all unless you are in one of the few Specialist Firearms Officers units (think there are just over 2,332 trained with guns as of 2007)

    All the beat cops get are pepper sprays and a club.
    Darkening, Oct 22, 2007
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  4. phantomofthenet

    phantomofthenet Locked By Request

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    Thanks Dan. I couldn't imagine a police department without SOME weapons to back it up.

    Do the regular street cops have mace or stun guns (and body armor?)

    And I wonder if the lack of guns makes them less confrontational. :chris:
    phantomofthenet, Oct 22, 2007
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  5. Seth Rich

    Seth Rich R.I.P.

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    Not even tasers? :(
    Seth Rich, Oct 22, 2007
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  6. Dan Leach

    Dan Leach Climbing Staff Member Moderator

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    Can i just add that something like 95%+ of normal beat cops dont want, under any circumstances, to be armed with guns. That would just up the stakes and lead to a massive increase in firearms for the criminal community.
    If all normal cops were armed all of a sudden then you'd almost have to be armed to be a criminal, and you'd have to be prepared to kill as well...
    Dan Leach, Oct 22, 2007
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  7. Dan Leach

    Dan Leach Climbing Staff Member Moderator

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    They have mace, batons and some (not exactly sure who)have tasers
    Dan Leach, Oct 22, 2007
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  8. evenflow

    evenflow Lofty Administrator

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    What do you get?
    evenflow, Oct 22, 2007
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  9. phantomofthenet

    phantomofthenet Locked By Request

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    I'd like to go for a "ridealong" with them, just to see how different life is for them. It's got me curious now.
    phantomofthenet, Oct 22, 2007
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  10. Darkening

    Darkening Guest

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    They get the cheapest stab proof vets on the market and shitty pepper sprays.

    They are always up for clubbing someone.
    Darkening, Oct 22, 2007
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  11. Dan Leach

    Dan Leach Climbing Staff Member Moderator

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    Stupid questions from retards?
    Dan Leach, Oct 22, 2007
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  12. Darkening

    Darkening Guest

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    Darkening, Oct 22, 2007
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  13. evenflow

    evenflow Lofty Administrator

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    No seriously, what do you get?

    I responded to my little brother's burglar alarm the other night, took a flashlight and a pistol.

    What would you have taken?
    evenflow, Oct 22, 2007
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  14. Dan Leach

    Dan Leach Climbing Staff Member Moderator

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    what the fuck does this have to do with how well armed beat police are?
    Dan Leach, Oct 22, 2007
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  15. Darkening

    Darkening Guest

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    I have a rubber hammer and a golf club.
    Darkening, Oct 22, 2007
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  16. Sherlock Holmes

    Sherlock Holmes Resurrected

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    :wtf:
    Sherlock Holmes, Oct 22, 2007
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  17. evenflow

    evenflow Lofty Administrator

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    Just wondering how well armed the populace is.
    evenflow, Oct 22, 2007
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  18. Seth Rich

    Seth Rich R.I.P.

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    Looking into a possible career change I take it? :soholy:
    Seth Rich, Oct 22, 2007
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  19. Dan Leach

    Dan Leach Climbing Staff Member Moderator

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    This isnt the wild west deary, we have to approach problems from our point of view not yours...
    If you were a british beat cop, would you want all cops to be armed when they never have been before? Every single situation that a cop gets into would be 10x -100x more serious, simply due to the fact that cops are suddenly armed. The cops here arn't stupid enough to want that to happen
    Dan Leach, Oct 22, 2007
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  20. Dan Leach

    Dan Leach Climbing Staff Member Moderator

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    Less armed than yours, and there are many shitholes in the world where the populace is considerably more armed than yours.
    In terms of judging a society 'how well armed everyone is' isn't much use as an indicator, except to show how fucked up things are.....
    Dan Leach, Oct 22, 2007
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  21. Sherlock Holmes

    Sherlock Holmes Resurrected

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    Of course not... This is the UK, so we're talking 1984. :diacanu:

    That's a bit close minded. Don't you think? You're sounding a little bit elitist right now.


    :wtf:



    :wtf::wtf:
    Sherlock Holmes, Oct 22, 2007
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  22. Darkening

    Darkening Guest

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    Guns and knifes over 3 inches are banned, not allowed to carry bats or airsoft guns in the street.

    Pepper sprays and tasers are banned.
    Darkening, Oct 22, 2007
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  23. Dan Leach

    Dan Leach Climbing Staff Member Moderator

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    If you cant begin to understand, dont bother trying.
    Why do you think the vast majority of british police would prefer not to be armed?
    Dan Leach, Oct 22, 2007
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  24. Darkening

    Darkening Guest

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    Extra paper work.
    Darkening, Oct 22, 2007
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  25. Dan Leach

    Dan Leach Climbing Staff Member Moderator

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    Is that strictly true?
    You can carry a bat, how else would you get to the park and back for a game?
    And knives, i know a tree surgeon and a park ranger both who routinely carry large knives with no need for any kind of permit and are in no danger of being done by the police over them
    edit: And are pepper sprays banned? my boss carries a combined spray+rape alarm, i didnt know it was illegal...
    Dan Leach, Oct 22, 2007
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  26. Dan Leach

    Dan Leach Climbing Staff Member Moderator

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    Lol, yeah, as 99.9% of british police work is at the moment is paperwork you can kinda understand that :)
    Dan Leach, Oct 22, 2007
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  27. Sherlock Holmes

    Sherlock Holmes Resurrected

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    Now where is the fun or the challenge in that, I ask you. But seriously, I just find your leaps in logic to be of Kentian measures, and a bit hard to swallow.

    Fear, Social programing, Needing to keep up an image...
    Sherlock Holmes, Oct 22, 2007
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  28. Darkening

    Darkening Guest

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    Well they over look it if your near a park and carrying bats and doing a job that needs blades.

    I'm talking walking down a high street holding a baseball bat.
    Darkening, Oct 22, 2007
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  29. Dan Leach

    Dan Leach Climbing Staff Member Moderator

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    :dayton: :jayzus:
    Dan Leach, Oct 22, 2007
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  30. Sherlock Holmes

    Sherlock Holmes Resurrected

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    Use your words, Dan.
    Sherlock Holmes, Oct 22, 2007
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