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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| Met officers to be asked if they want to carry guns | Met officers to be asked if they want to carry guns |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| Thousands of Met Police officers are to be asked if they want to be routinely armed with a gun or Taser. | Thousands of Met Police officers are to be asked if they want to be routinely armed with a gun or Taser. |
| A survey by the Metropolitan Police Federation will consult all its members on their views about equipping officers with weapons. | A survey by the Metropolitan Police Federation will consult all its members on their views about equipping officers with weapons. |
| An extra 600 firearms officers in London have been pledged following the Paris terrorist attacks. | An extra 600 firearms officers in London have been pledged following the Paris terrorist attacks. |
| Scotland Yard said it did not support the routine arming of officers. | Scotland Yard said it did not support the routine arming of officers. |
| Does the presence of armed police reassure people? | Does the presence of armed police reassure people? |
| Ken Marsh, chairman of the Federation, which represents 32,000 officers in London, said it was "only fair" to ask police what they wanted amid a "constant" terror threat. | Ken Marsh, chairman of the Federation, which represents 32,000 officers in London, said it was "only fair" to ask police what they wanted amid a "constant" terror threat. |
| Questions being put to officers in the survey include: | Questions being put to officers in the survey include: |
| "We're not an armed force, we never have been" said Mr Marsh. | "We're not an armed force, we never have been" said Mr Marsh. |
| "But the terrorism threat in London is constant and our officers must be vigilant and be able to deal swiftly with any scenarios we face. | "But the terrorism threat in London is constant and our officers must be vigilant and be able to deal swiftly with any scenarios we face. |
| The threat level for international terrorism in the UK has been severe - meaning an attack is highly likely - since August 2014. | The threat level for international terrorism in the UK has been severe - meaning an attack is highly likely - since August 2014. |
| Mr Marsh added arming officers could have a "lot of implications" - including harder fitness tests for officers. | Mr Marsh added arming officers could have a "lot of implications" - including harder fitness tests for officers. |
| "This is not about just giving someone a gun and saying 'get out there'" he said "there's a huge amount of work that would need to be done". | "This is not about just giving someone a gun and saying 'get out there'" he said "there's a huge amount of work that would need to be done". |
| Nationally, the number of armed police is being increased by 1,500. | Nationally, the number of armed police is being increased by 1,500. |
| Unlike most other countries most officers in the UK are unarmed. | |
| Previous research has suggested the majority of police did not support routinely arming officers. | Previous research has suggested the majority of police did not support routinely arming officers. |
| But a recent poll in the wake of the Berlin Christmas market attacks found 58% of the public believed officers should carry guns. | But a recent poll in the wake of the Berlin Christmas market attacks found 58% of the public believed officers should carry guns. |
| A Scotland Yard spokesman said "we are proud to maintain the tradition that police in this country are not routinely armed." | A Scotland Yard spokesman said "we are proud to maintain the tradition that police in this country are not routinely armed." |
| "Twice in recent years the Met has increased the number of specially-trained officers who carry Taser, and this is kept under constant review." | "Twice in recent years the Met has increased the number of specially-trained officers who carry Taser, and this is kept under constant review." |