paigntonian: //Naomi: Unless we've moved we are not on the continent of Europe. // - of course we are in the geographic continent of Europe. Europe is more than just the main land and more that the EUSSR. By your reasoning the channel islands, Iceland, Gibraltar are not in Europe either. Think it through.
i know some of our police are armed, but most ordinary coppers don't want it, going on the news - what happens in USA is a totally different scenario, they have a gun for almost every citizen as is their right, mad though that is.
tasers can be lethal, if the suspect has a heart problem, they can do some damage going on news report a while back. Not to say the police shouldn't use them in exceptional circumstances.
Shoota, re your 13.23. That's why i advocate the use of 'snatch squads' in riot situations. Of course, 'snatch squads' are no good without the deployment of baton rounds, but together, they are a very useful tool in getting rid of some of the ringleaders. Without the leaders, the rest of the mob often become less inclined to lead the line.
Ken - snatch squads work if they are 'extra' to the number of Police required to contain the crowd. If you have barely enough officers in the first place you cannot deploy snatch squads.
I thought I'd shown that.
^
Shoota, i agree. So the 'snatch squads' could be seconded from a neighbouring force, surely. It was done during the riots during the miner's strikes. Only need six per squad.
Naomi, not being silly, but when a country can fit it's entire army into Old Trafford Football Stadium, it is no longer an army, inho.