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| Majority of police officers are prepared to carry guns, survey finds | Majority of police officers are prepared to carry guns, survey finds |
| (4 months later) | |
| Police Federation finds 55% of rank and file in England and Wales would carry a firearm if asked or ordered to, up 11% on 2006 | |
| Vikram Dodd | |
| Fri 22 Sep 2017 17.56 BST | |
| First published on Fri 22 Sep 2017 12.23 BST | |
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| A majority of police officers are prepared to carry a firearm as longstanding opposition to being routinely armed melts in the face of escalating dangers. | A majority of police officers are prepared to carry a firearm as longstanding opposition to being routinely armed melts in the face of escalating dangers. |
| A national survey by the Police Federation, which covers rank and file officers in England and Wales, found that 55% said they would carry a firearm if asked or ordered to, up 11% compared with when the last national survey was conducted in 2006. That response is different to the percentage who believe they and colleagues should be routinely armed, which was 34%, up since the last survey when it stood at 23%. | A national survey by the Police Federation, which covers rank and file officers in England and Wales, found that 55% said they would carry a firearm if asked or ordered to, up 11% compared with when the last national survey was conducted in 2006. That response is different to the percentage who believe they and colleagues should be routinely armed, which was 34%, up since the last survey when it stood at 23%. |
| British police officers are traditionally unarmed, with guns going to those who volunteer and who undergo a high level of training. Only officers in Northern Ireland are routinely armed. | British police officers are traditionally unarmed, with guns going to those who volunteer and who undergo a high level of training. Only officers in Northern Ireland are routinely armed. |
| Of the officers who completed the survey 42.5% thought they and their colleagues should receive training and be armed as and when necessary, and did not back routine arming. | Of the officers who completed the survey 42.5% thought they and their colleagues should receive training and be armed as and when necessary, and did not back routine arming. |
| The survey demonstrates to the public that the mood is changing within policing after terrorist attacks and a rise in violent crime. | The survey demonstrates to the public that the mood is changing within policing after terrorist attacks and a rise in violent crime. |
| Within policing it bolsters the hand of those who think routine arming should be considered. Steve White, the chair of the federation, said: “I fear that we are moving inexorably to a situation where in some years time we will have to have a fully armed police service.” | Within policing it bolsters the hand of those who think routine arming should be considered. Steve White, the chair of the federation, said: “I fear that we are moving inexorably to a situation where in some years time we will have to have a fully armed police service.” |
| The Guardian revealed that Simon Chesterman, the national lead for armed policing, wrote a paper for police chiefs in July outlining how routine arming would work, including details on training. Responding to the federation’s survey on behalf of the National Police Chiefs Council, Chesterman said: “We are now undertaking a further review of the level of armed policing in light of the significant shift in the terror threat to the UK. Chiefs remain committed to our model of policing with the principle of minimal use of force and a routinely unarmed service at its core. | The Guardian revealed that Simon Chesterman, the national lead for armed policing, wrote a paper for police chiefs in July outlining how routine arming would work, including details on training. Responding to the federation’s survey on behalf of the National Police Chiefs Council, Chesterman said: “We are now undertaking a further review of the level of armed policing in light of the significant shift in the terror threat to the UK. Chiefs remain committed to our model of policing with the principle of minimal use of force and a routinely unarmed service at its core. |
| “The review considers the risk to the public and our officers who are first on the scene. Chiefs will consider the initial findings of this review in October, along with the results of the Police Federation’s survey on their members’ views.” | “The review considers the risk to the public and our officers who are first on the scene. Chiefs will consider the initial findings of this review in October, along with the results of the Police Federation’s survey on their members’ views.” |
| The federation represents more than 122,000 officers, of whom 23% replied to the survey. | The federation represents more than 122,000 officers, of whom 23% replied to the survey. |
| Police outside of London are concerned because they have fewer guns than those in the capital and fear they might struggle to rush enough armed officers to the scene of a terrorist attack. In the survey, 56% of officers did not believe armed officers would arrive quickly enough if needed. | Police outside of London are concerned because they have fewer guns than those in the capital and fear they might struggle to rush enough armed officers to the scene of a terrorist attack. In the survey, 56% of officers did not believe armed officers would arrive quickly enough if needed. |
| Ministers and police chiefs have been trying to increase the number of specially trained armed officers since the November 2015 terrorist attack on Paris, which left 130 people dead. | Ministers and police chiefs have been trying to increase the number of specially trained armed officers since the November 2015 terrorist attack on Paris, which left 130 people dead. |
| The Association of Police and Crime Commissioners’ lead on use of force, Martyn Underhill, said: “We recognise that in recent times, policing has found itself operating within a rapidly evolving landscape. From the challenges posed by terrorism to the increase in reported knife crime, threats to public safety are constantly emerging and resources remain stretched. | The Association of Police and Crime Commissioners’ lead on use of force, Martyn Underhill, said: “We recognise that in recent times, policing has found itself operating within a rapidly evolving landscape. From the challenges posed by terrorism to the increase in reported knife crime, threats to public safety are constantly emerging and resources remain stretched. |
| “Against this backdrop, the debate on how to best equip officers has been brought to the fore, with forces nationally examining uplifts in firearms and Taser provision.” | “Against this backdrop, the debate on how to best equip officers has been brought to the fore, with forces nationally examining uplifts in firearms and Taser provision.” |
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| UK security and counter-terrorism | |
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