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Is It Time For All Police Officers To At Least Have A Tazer

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youngmafbog | 07:53 Fri 09th Aug 2019 | News
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After the attempted murder of a Police Officer by Muhammed Rodwan the other day there are renewed calls for all Police to have a taser.

Is it time, should we try this before arming them?

Unfortunately, since the Government and the judiciary are not willing to tackle knife crime correctly do we have any choice? Police Officers cannot be allowed to be in such danger, especially in the urban environment.
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According to this BBC report:

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-49286001

the officer was equipped with a taser and managed to use it. Having a taser isn't a guarantee of safety.
Not really up on this, but what happened to the rubber bullet? I think most officers would be more comfortable with firing one of these. if their life was in danger, I know I would.
You could say it saved his life on this occasion.
saintp. Sounds like we are going to need a lot more prisons & increased taxes to pay for them & the housing of inmates,
What about "An eye for an eye", "a tooth for a tooth" or the law of retaliation, which is the principle that a person who has injured another person is to be penalised to a similar degree, and the person inflicting such punishment should be the injured party?

I'm sure this copper would like to have the license to give this guy a few sharp taps around his head with a machete, I know I would.
Tazers yes. On a few. Conditions . A) does the police person wish a taser ? B) Only given to police persons with experience of working the streets .
//Not really up on this, but what happened to the rubber bullet? I think most officers would be more comfortable with firing one of these. if their life was in danger, I know I would.//

Teacake
Rubber bullets are called Baton Rounds. The Met have had them in reserve since post Broadwater Farm estate riots. They have never been deployed by police. Home Office permission has to be sought first and few senior officers have the bottle to request that permission.
They are primarily a riot control gun and not a defensive personal weapon. The weapon is akin to a short barelled single barrel shotgun.
The baton round is a large metal cartridge about the shape of a toilet roll insert which holds the projectile itself. That looks like an old shaving stick and although, a composite plastic it is as hard as ferro concrete.
They could and were fatal at times when used in N.I. during the troubles.The RUC,as they were then ,also used them.
Soldiers being an inventive lot soon found that by aiming a certain distance on the ground in front of the rioters it would ricochet up to head height.There were rumours that spent U2 batteries fitted the bore of the baton guns and was the cause of fatalities.
A more viable non fatal ballistic round for personal defence was trialled by law enforcement agencies some years ago. The handgun was a conventional pistol and the bullet looked like any other exxcept instead of firing a full metal jacketed lead projectile it fired a type of small bean bag that would knock a hi-jacker of his/her feet. This round was devised for the use of sky marshalls and it was hoped would pack a punch but not penetrate a aircraft fuselage and de- pressurise the aircraft. It seemed to have died a death although I wouldn't be surprised if the El Al sky marshals have not had it perfected.
retrocop, Thanks for the heads up, very informative!!
You are most welcome. This is another development designed by the Australians to overcome fatalities . The Frangible round.

http://www.tacticalforums.com/ubb/Forum1/HTML/001365.html
The rubber bullets used in Ulster prior to the baton rounds were bullet-shaped and (from memory)about 1"-1.5" in diameter, about 5" in length and solid rubber. A relative served in Ulster and he has one as a keepsake.
There appears to be only 5 countries in the world who don't carry guns, these are:

The UK.
Norway.
Ireland.
Iceland.
New Zealand.
Northern Ireland is part of the UK and they carry guns!
It's GB police who do not carry guns on a regular basis.
Sorry RR didn't see your post
//Which i fully understand, Danny. Having a gun on one's hip may look cool but many, many officers would be reluctant to use it. Yet they do have to protect themselves in this ever increasingly violent world so perhaps tasers are the way?//

What you write is correct ken. I knew of two officers in my department were either indifferent or unsuitable on the subject of carrying firearms to protect their principals or colleagues. They had joined the department knowing they were to carry firearms and be prepared to use them at all times if extremly necessary.
No names but this account may ring bells.
A police sergeant is returning to a residence in the front seat of a Daimler. His principal sits in the back. Close to home an armed attacker jumps in front of the vehicle and, not been anti -hijack trained, the driver braked sharply and came to a stop.
Police Sergeant is shot and wounded. Two off duty police officers tackle the gunman and arrests him.
Sergeant makes a full recovery is given a medal and promotion. On retirement he also gets the RVO awarded.
At the subsequent enquiry the police sergeant claimed he drew his Walther PPK 9mm self loading pistol but the first round jammed and was unable to clear the stoppage before being shot. As a result ,overnight ,the police force was re-equipped with a different weapon vastly inferior to the Walther.
I chatted with the chauffeur several months later and he secretly confirmed that the weapon had been securely locked in the front glove compartment and had been placed their by the officer st the start of his day.
Obviouly these men can do other police roles but are not suited to carry out tasks that involve firearms and are a dangerous liability.
I believe,therefore, that officers should be given a choice to carry a lethal weapon in day to day street duty but not disbar any officer for declining a weapon. Some para military forces (Garda Civil) carry whereas some provincial,regional or tourist police do not carry firearms. These attacks are not that frequent in the UK but I am sure some officers would feel more able to carry out their street duties more confidently if they could suitably protect themselves not knowing from day to day what lies round the corner.
JNO - "if you happened to be carrying a table leg, you'd certainly be safer if police carried tasers rather than guns"

Blimey.

On another thread questions have been raised as to why a link has been posted from January 2019, so good see JNO (being deliberately contrary as per) posting a story from 14 years ago.

Still, nice to be reminded what the BBC website used to look like.
Members of the Police Service shouldn't have an option on whether or not they want to carry firearms, the military aren't.
AOG //Members of the Police Service shouldn't have an option on whether or not they want to carry firearms//
So you would rather someone who is totally unsuited to carry arms should be walking the streets with a revolver. A disaster waiting ro happen.
///Members of the Police Service shouldn't have an option on whether or not they want to carry firearms, the military aren't. ///

But they don't carry firearms with them all day, do they?
Mr aog. What is the point of joining the army or police force if you are not happy to carry,train,and fire a weapon in order to kill. You cannot train a human person to be happy with a firearm if they are scared stiff of handling one let alone using them. The choice of carrying or not carrying is a personal risk a volunteer police officer will have to take for themselves. As I have previously written at length I knew two officers who hated firearms and one was left wanting when it was required. People who carry unwillingly a firearm are a dangerous liability and unsafe.
I
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Perhaps Danny they should not be walking the streets then - a nice desk job would perhaps be more suitable.

However, most have digressed my question was related to tasers, quite different to a fire arm.

But for either, surely having high morals (or whatever) and refusing to carry puts others in risk who have to come rescue you when the perpetrator could have been disabled.

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