There was once an online survey about this issue being held and almost 80% people agreed that the police should be armed. They believe that it can both secure the public and the police officers. Besides, society has ruled that firearms are the most effective ways of protection. The public will feel safer when they see armed policemen, as they know that efficient and effective help will be offered if they are in danger.
Meanwhile, there are gangs in every society. They may always involve in violence and fights. An armed police force can intimidate them so that authority can be imposed easily. As there is a rise in gun ownership, risks to the frontline police officers have increased. The police should have the right to exercise self-protection. The number of injuries and deaths of the police caused in crimes is likely to decline they are able to equip themselves better. People should cite it as a means of self-defense instead of an active involvement in violence. This is shown by the fact that most armed police officers have never fired their weapons throughout their term of service referring to ‘Q&A: Armed police in the UK’. If being a policeman is a safer, people will have a higher incentive to apply for this occupation, and, in turn, Society will be safer with a larger and stronger police force.
On the other hand, there are some drawbacks of arming the police. The public often criticizes police officers for abusing their power to exert violence on unarmed civilians. Oliver Sprague, the Amnesty International’s Arm Programme Director, said once, “We are worried that this could be the start of a slippery slope – towards further arming of the police, or towards a situation like that in the US where Tasers have been widely misused and people have died.” (Taylor, 2007) Cases police officers abusing their authority towards inappropriate target, assaulting and harassing citizens are presented in the article of ‘Police officers and abuse of powers: the list’ (Laville, 2012). Moreover, when the police are being armed, they may become overconfident and narcissistic. Some of the police are truly malicious and may use their guns to terrorize civilians. For instance, in 2006, Tsui Po-ko, who was a police officer in Hong Kong had committed a number of serious offences, including murders and bank robbery.
Furthermore, accidental errors may occur when the police are armed. Although there are exhaustive trainings for firearms officers, aberration may still happen. This will take innocent lives, either intentionally or unintentionally. From the book ‘Shooting to Kill: Policing, Firearms and armed response’, there are a number of cases of mistaken police shootings. Last but not least, introducing guns on the street may increase the number of crimes, as it can be a trigger for gangs to bring guns onto the street.
In conclusion, although there are some drawbacks of arming the police, considering its advantages, I still believe in this proposition. Just imagine if you are being plundered, will you hope the police officer to chase after the plunder holding nothing but a baton? No, you will not, because you know without a gun, he has not the slightest chance to stop or even intimidate him. Besides, it is nonsense to expect survival in a gunfight without any armaments. The job of a police officer is very hazardous. From one moment to the next, he does not know what will occur. They risk their lives to protect us and they should have the right to protect themselves. With frequent firearms training and examination on mental conditions, the misuse of weapons can be avoided. As people often say, “Prevention is always better than cure.”
Bibliography
Bamber, D. (2002, February). Gun crime trebles as weapons and drugs flood British cities. The Telegraph. Retrieved October 25, 2012, from http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/1385843/Gun-crime-trebles-as-weapons-and-drugs-flood-British-cities.html
Hong Kong ‘devil cop’ kills colleagues. Brisbane Times. Retrieved October 29, 2012, from http://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/news/world/hong-kong-devil-cop-kills-colleagues/2007/04/25/1177459784882.html
Kennison, P. & Squires, P. (2010). Shooting to Kill: Policing, Firearms and armed response. England: Wiley-Blackwell
Laville, S. (2012, June). Police officers and abuse of powers: the list. . The Guardian. Retrieved October 27, 2012, from http://www.guardian.co.uk/news/datablog/2012/jun/29/police-officers-court
Q&A: Armed police in the UK. BBC News. Retrieved October 25, 2012, from http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/10260298
Should police forces be armed under all circumstances? Debate.org. Retrieved October 27, 2012, from
http://www.debate.org/opinions/should-police-forces-be-armed-under-all-circumstances
Taylor, R. Opposing More UK Police being Armed with TASERs. Retrieved October 27, 2012, from
http://www.rtaylor.co.uk/opposing-more-uk-police-being-armed-with-tasers.html
Whitehead, T. (2009, October). Gun crime doubles in a decade. The Telegraph. Retrieved October 25, 2012, from
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/law-and-order/6438601/Gun-crime-doubles-in-a-decade.html
Whitehead, T. (2012, September). Police should be routinely armed in wake of latest tragedy, say campaigners. The Telegraph. Retrieved October 25, 2012, from http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/law-and-order/9551667/Police-should-be-routinely-armed-in-wake-of-latest-tragedy-say-campaigners.html
Appendices
Additional information:
http://www.npa.go.jp/english/seisaku2/crime_reduction.pdf
http://www.ehow.com/list_6869257_pros-cons-armed-probation-officer.html
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d2YEJmWTZ6Q
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-19647221
Sample of Research:
Should police forces be armed under all circumstances? Debate.org. Retrieved October 27, 2012, from http://www.debate.org/opinions/should-police-forces-be-armed-under-all-circumstances
Laville, S. (2012, June). Police officers and abuse of powers: the list. . The Guardian. Retrieved October 27, 2012, from http://www.guardian.co.uk/news/datablog/2012/jun/29/police-officers-court
Whitehead, T. (2012, September). Police should be routinely armed in wake of latest tragedy, say campaigners. The Telegraph. Retrieved October 25, 2012 from, http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/law-and-order/9551667/Police-should-be-routinely-armed-in-wake-of-latest-tragedy-say-campaigners.html
Hong Kong ‘devil cop’ kills colleagues. Brisbane Times. Retrieved October 29, 2012, from http://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/news/world/hong-kong-devil-cop-kills-colleagues/2007/04/25/1177459784882.html
Q&A: Armed police in the UK. BBC News. Retrieved October 25, 2012, from http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/10260298
Taylor, R. Opposing More UK Police being Armed with TASERs. Retrieved October 27, 2012, from http://www.rtaylor.co.uk/opposing-more-uk-police-being-armed-with-tasers.html
Whitehead, T. (2012, September). Police should be routinely armed in wake of latest tragedy, say campaigners. The Telegraph. Retrieved October 25, 2012, from http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/law-and-order/9551667/Police-should-be-routinely-armed-in-wake-of-latest-tragedy-say-campaigners.html
Whitehead, T. (2009, October). Gun crime doubles in a decade. The Telegraph. Retrieved October 25, 2012, from http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/law-and-order/6438601/Gun-crime-doubles-in-a-decade.html
Bamber, D. (2002, February). Gun crime trebles as weapons and drugs flood British cities. The Telegraph. Retrieved October 25, 2012, from http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/1385843/Gun-crime-trebles-as-weapons-and-drugs-flood-British-cities.html
Should police forces be armed under all circumstances? Debate.org. Retrieved October 27, 2012, from http://www.debate.org/opinions/should-police-forces-be-armed-under-all-circumstances
Q&A: Armed police in the UK. BBC News. Retrieved October 25, 2012, from http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/10260298
Taylor, R. Opposing More UK Police being Armed with TASERs. Retrieved October 27, 2012, from http://www.rtaylor.co.uk/opposing-more-uk-police-being-armed-with-tasers.html
Laville, S. (2012, June). Police officers and abuse of powers: the list. . The Guardian. Retrieved October 27, 2012, from http://www.guardian.co.uk/news/datablog/2012/jun/29/police-officers-court
Hong Kong ‘devil cop’ kills colleagues. Brisbane Times. Retrieved October 29, 2012, from http://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/news/world/hong-kong-devil-cop-kills-colleagues/2007/04/25/1177459784882.html
Kennison, P. & Squires, P. (2010). Shooting to Kill: Policing, Firearms and armed response. England: Wiley-Blackwell