British Police Should Be Armed - Assignment Example

British Police Should Be Armed Executive Summary This report addresses the controversial issue of whether to arm or not to arm the police. Routinely arming the police have been argued to make the criminals to be also more armed. Firearms are projected to increase on the streets and therefore some people have opposed the issue of arming these law enforcers. However, this report is strongly advocating for arming the police. Criminals would always possess guns if they like to, with or without arming the police. An armed police officer is capable of stopping an armed criminal or a killer on rampage as opposed to an officer who is not armed. Globalization has enabled criminals to acquire illegal firearms from elsewhere. Many of the criminals are armed against fellow criminals, police officers becoming collateral damage in the process of exchange of fire. Introduction The topic about arming the British police has been a contentious issue for a long time. The debate has divided the various experts, scholars and the public right in the middle; some arguing that the police should not be routinely armed as this makes the state a police state while those supporting the routine arming of the police have posed the questions if the arming of the police makes a nation a police state what about a scenario where only criminals have firearms? Having conducted a thorough research this report is for the case that the police should be routinely armed. Arming them makes them more efficient and enables them to react with precision to possible threats. They are able to deter serial killers or individuals who in possession of a gun go on rampage shooting every body on site. (Maguire, Morgan & Reiner, 2007). Literature Review According to the BBC News (2010), reporting on the Cumbria shootings, police officers had seen the killer on the rampage, tried to stop him but were unable since they had no guns. The killer, Derrick Bird, was in possession of a gun yet the police officers were unarmed and thus there is no way an armed gangster would have been stopped. A police officer at Whitehaven was the first officer to hear and react to the gunshots. He hurriedly got into the nearby car and chased Bird who was already inside his taxi shooting at everybody on site. Other unarmed police officers, in this hot pursuit of Bird, joined the police officer. Bird had already killed a family member and colleagues. This source has cited the lack of firearms by the police officers as the main reason they were unable to stop Bird. The killer drove for over forty miles, with all efforts to stop him proving futile, in the process he killed twelve people and injured over eleven others. It ha thus been argued that police officers should be routinely armed to prevent such incidents. The police officers in this case failed to stop a killer; they thus were unable to appropriately, execute their duties hence the public became exposed to killer on rampage. It is important to note that the efforts of the police did not stop the killer; rather the killer turned the gun on himself and shot himself. The role of the police to guard and protect the people was greatly undermined in this case. Ingleton (1996) has stated that the majority of police officers wish they were armed. The author asserts that the police work tirelessly to see to it the law is followed accordingly and thus our officers do not have to be subjected or suffer at the hands of criminals who possess various dangerous weapons such as short guns. The contemporary society is perceived to be a violent one with law enforcers being among those most at risk. Criminals have been increasingly using weapons on the law enforcers something that warrants them at least to be armed to protect themselves. However, the author states that the armed police officers could be used by the state to further its interests. The British Government has always wished that the area of Ulstermen remained part of the United Kingdom. Nevertheless, the Irish Government sent armed officers in the area to create chaos and mayhem in an attempt to compel the British government to change its mind, about this area that the Irish Republic coveted very much. The idea of arming the police is thus opposed, as arming them would consequently result to criminals arming a situation that would cause more deaths from firearms. All in all, in North Ireland the police are usually armed in various categories, yet the situation in United Kingdom is no better than the one in North Ireland. Arming the police in Ireland has not created an increased acquisition of firearms; rather the police have become more effective. BBC News (2005) in an armed robbery at a travel agent in Bradford, a female police officers was cruelly murdered in a scene eyewitness say was horrendous and one that needs the change of polices of arming the police. This shooting to death of the female police officer resulted to the whole area being shut down with fellow police officers reported to have cried uncontrollably. The residents expressed their terror, horror and sorrow of the incident. This cruel murder served to remind all stakeholders that the police are at a high risk of being victims of circumstances. Michael Winner, the founder of police Memorial Trust and is also a film director vehemently condemned the murder. He was saddened that an ordinary day could become so tragic to call for attention by the whole country. He stated that the only way officers are guaranteed of at least defending themselves against merciless and cruel criminals was by providing them with body armour or by arming them, the latter being the most preferable. Police officers called upon to protect the community do so, promptly rushing to the scene of the incident without knowing what was in store for. It has been argued that it is a matter of logic to accord such police officers firearms, as they have no clue of the nature of criminals awaiting them. Analysis and Discussion The discussion on whether the police should be routinely armed always sparks a controversial debate. However, this report has mainly emphasized the need for routinely arming police officers. The contemporary modern society has undergone radical changes. Immigrants are flowing into the country every day making the society even more diverse. Illegal immigrants who come to the country cannot be legally employed and thus turn to odd means of acquiring their livelihood. Globalization has made the cultural exchange more rapid and thus the British culture has become in many ways, multidimensional. The community is vulnerable to gangs who have become armed with sophisticated smuggled weapons. The only way to maintain order in such a community will only be to give police officers the right to possess arms. They will not fear confronting such gangs whose operations are mainly in alleys, back streets or other areas that are not regularly visited. Since the community has become much diversified, the traditional way of solving conflicts have greatly been altered. In the United Kingdom, the government policy ad the generally accepted notion is to tackle the root causes of crime rather than the effects of crimes. Firearms were thus not viewed as a necessity in combating crime, other issues like unemployment; schooling and drugs controls were viewed as the prime issues in crime control thus no weapons were needed in tackling socio- economic issues. However, the high level of illegal immigrants and the changing society has made crime dependant on other issues. Criminals no longer pay respect to human dignity and the rights of individuals. Some of the people who have moved to the UK do not know about the traditions of the country while others do not care. They therefore continue to illegally, possess weapons as they had been doing in their own countries and are ready top shoot at the slightest provocation. Immigrants, citing them as the reasons they have no jobs, on the other hand, anger some British natives. The police and the public in general are put at risk and it is thus noble to arm the police to prevent instances that might cause uproar. (Wright, 2001) However, this kind of arming the police is just a preventive measure that should be taken and does not necessarily mean there will be killer on the loose. The official statistics conducted by the British Crime Survey shows that crimes that are gun related are rare in the country and in fact, these crimes are reported to be decreasing. The public has been so afraid and concerned about criminals having guns because of the media frenzy when a gun crime is detected in any part of the country. The media offer report and hype up individual incidences where gun crimes have been reported to capture the public attention. It is projected that giving police officers guns would increase the gun related organized crimes (Wright, 2006). The decrease in crimes statistics graph is as shown in the graph in the appendix. This report’s further emphasis on arming the police has been supported by a recent report. A recent report by the highly reputed Scotland Yard has shown that there is an increase of firearms crimes and offences by about twenty percent. Gun crimes are indeed feared to be out of control in some areas, in London, gun-shooting incidences have doubled comparing this to one year ago. The Metropolitan police chief has taken a step further and started a program where by there will be a routine armed patrols on the street. These shows in reality, the authorities, who have conducted a conclusive research, are for armed patrol. In 2009, shooting incidences had almost doubled within six moths. These were from 123 incidences to 236 incidences compared to the same period the previous year. This is a rise of more than ninety percent (Sandra, 2009). Survey also shows that the use of firearms has increased with the majority of those in possession being young teenagers (Wakefield & Fleming, 2009). These teenagers have no major reason for possessing firearms rather it is for settling petty and non-consequential disputes and they themselves do not care much about the consequences of their actions. They are aware of their actions with many shooting on the leg so that the victim would not die. Rev L, Isaac who has been working as a pastor downtown south London comments that the use of guns has always been there but there has been a major increase in supply and distribution in the recent times (Leishman, Loveday & Savage, 2000). The police need more training on handling guns and then after sufficient training they should be routinely armed. The world is fast changing with terrorist activities becoming more and more increasingly. An armed police officer would be in a very suitable position to stop a terrorist like a suicide bomber while unarmed officer would have to rely on his/her natural ability to chase down a suspect. Natural capabilities are limiting and that is why there is technology (Button, 2003). Conclusion Criminals will always possess guns with or without arming the police. Arming the police routinely gives them the confidence to confront a criminal without much fear (McLaughlin, 2007). Instead of criminals, becoming more armed, criminal activities would decrease, as those intending to commit a crime would know the police are armed and thus they will be in deep trouble (Mawby 2002). The consequences of violating a law, deters people from breaking that law. Arming the police by itself would scare away detractors. Survey has shown that teenagers are the one becoming increasingly armed (Home Office, 2005). They know the police are not armed therefore they would not have any effective regulatory authority. If the police were to be armed, then the mere fact that the public are aware of the arming, would deter anybody from experimenting using a gun (Sheptycki, 1998). References BBC News (2010). Cumbria Shootings: Police Saw Killer On Rampage. Retrieved from http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/10257836 BBC News (2005). Sorrow Expressed At Police Shooting. Retrieved from http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england/bradford/4451068.stm Button, M. (2003). Private Policing. Cullompton: Willan. Home Office (2005). Building Communities, Beating Crime. London: HMSO. Ingleton, R. (1996). Arming The British Police: The Great Debate. London: Frank Cass & Co. LTD. Leishman, F. Loveday, B. and Savage, S. (eds) (2000). Core Issues in Policing. Harlow: Longman McLaughlin, E. (2007). The New Policing. London: Sage Maguire, M, Morgan R. & Reiner, R. (eds) (2007). Oxford Handbook of Criminology. 4th edn.Oxford: Oxford University Press Mawby, R. C. (2002). Policing Image. Cullompton: Willan. McLaughlin,E. Muncie, J. (2001). Controlling Crime. London: Sage Publication Newburn, T. (ed) (2008). Handbook Of Policing. 2nd edn.Cullompton: Willan Publishing Newburn, T. (ed) (2004). Policing: Key Readings. Cullompton: Willan Publishing Neyroud, P. and Beckley, A. (2001). Policing, Ethics and Human Rights, Cullompton: Willan. Otago Daily Times. (2011). Police Should Not Be Armed. Retrieved from http://www.odt.co.nz/news/national/88805/survey-police-should-not-be-armed Reiner, R. (2010). The Politics of the Police.4th edn. Oxford: Oxford University Press Sandra, L. (2009). London Gun Crime Rises As Shootings Nearly Double. Retrieved from http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2009/nov/03/london-gun-crime-shootings-rise Sheptycki, J (1998). The British Journal of Criminology. Pp 485- 503 Waddington, J.(1988). Arming An Unarmed Police. London: Police Foundation. Wakefield, A. and Fleming, J. (eds) (2009) The Sage Dictionary of Policing London: Sage Wright, A. (2001). Policing: Theory Concepts And Practice, 2nd edition. Cullompton: Willan. Wright, A. (2006). Policing: Theory Concepts And Practice, 2nd edition. Cullompton: Willan. Appendix Source: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/6906554.stm Read More