Page 7 - Top Cover Issue 15

MAY 2019 TOP COVER 7

If one accepts the argument that
more (not all) officers should be armed
then the next thing to consider is who.
Arming ‘all’ officers is simply
impossible. A lot of officers in the
UK would decline a firearm (and we
simply don’t need to arm all detectives,
intelligence officers or of those working
in supporting functions); many more
would be unsuitable or couldn’t pass
the course. British policing hasn’t
recruited and trained its workforce
to handle firearms, and many officers
have never handled a live firearm.
Recruitment and initial training would
need to change, and as officers now
serve up to 42 years before drawing a
pension, it would take two generations
to refresh the workforce. So let’s forget
about arming ‘all’ police.

Arm all those willing to carry
Picture copyright: Svetlana Turchenick / Shutterstock carry, pass a tough assessment and
What we can do is change
recruitment now, and arm all those
existing officers who are willing to

pass a rigorous course. Standards must
remain high but at least this approach
would put more armed police on the
streets, cutting back on that critical
response time, which as we have seen
could save lives.
The current threat is not the
organised MTFA we had feared; it is
More than 93% of those who responded to a recent PFEW survey said that more
a no-notice, low-sophistication attack
officers should be trained and carry a firearm
with vehicles and knives. Sidearms,
nearest ARVs were 45 minutes away; The problem is not just in the shires. together with a Taser to ensure officers
the control room inspector decided The first officers at London Bridge have a less lethal option, can deal with
that as lives were being lost, unarmed arrived within two minutes, we are this type of threat. We have seen time
officers will be ordered to take on told. We all know how these three and again that a lot can be achieved
the suspect. tremendously brave officers, recently with a sidearm. At the Bataclan it was
It seems that time and time again the recognised by the Queen for their a local officer with a handgun who first
UK contingency to deal with terrorism courage, confronted the terrorists with shot a terrorist. In Nice it was the local
in small cities and towns still relies only batons and chairs. It is amazing police with handguns who shot and
on bravery medals. There are simply that they were not killed. But they killed the terrorist who ploughed his
insufficient officers trained to use guns were overpowered and the terrorists lorry through a crowd. At Westminster
to turn out quickly to market towns moved on and continued to murder it was close protection officers armed
(5)
and seaside resorts. Contrast this with other people. Colonel Richard Kemp only with sidearms who shot and killed
attacks in mainland Europe – such as pointed out that, if those officers had the terrorist who murdered PC Palmer.
at Cambrils in Spain, a small seaside sidearms and had shot the terrorists Without doubt officers can achieve
town (population 34,000) where local after two minutes, lives could have more, the more firepower they have
officers shot dead five terrorists before been saved. Six minutes makes a lot of and a handgun is useless against an
they could injure or kill anyone. difference during a terrorist attack. automatic weapon – but this isn’t the

WWW.PFOA.CO.UK