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Politics : Formerly About Advanced Micro Devices -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: Bill Jackson who wrote (142295)	2/4/2002 12:51:16 AM
From: TimF	Read Replies (2) \| Respond to of 1578331

Tim, The trouble with small moves of .3% in any measure is the size of the base used in measurement. There is noy way to see if that is just noise. I agree but the increase in violent crime since the new laws where passed is not .3% but for several major categories it is double digit percent. If you armed the police you would get them killing their wives on impulse as well as thefts from police of their guns. The total crimes from these two things added together would not be significant. If violent crime keeps going up in the UK then arming at least the police will probably become necessary. Tim

To: Bill Jackson who wrote (142295)	2/4/2002 12:58:53 AM
From: d[-_-]b	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 1578331

Bill, re: If you armed the police you would get them killing their wives on impulse as well as thefts from police of their guns. Sure Bill, guns have evil influential powers over helpless Bobbies that just can't get a hold of their emotions. news.bbc.co.uk Guns for bobbies on the beat An officer with a gun stops a car in Nottingham Armed police on the beat have been introduced to the British mainland for the first time. The decision by Nottinghamshire police to arm officers patrolling two inner-city housing estates breaks one of the longest standing traditions of unarmed bobbies on the beat. Britain is one of the few countries in Europe where police officers do not carry guns as a matter of course. Nottinghamshire police said the decision was taken to reassure the local community. The scheme, known as Operation Real Estate, was set up in response to a gun crime problem in inner city areas and was not intended to be permanent, the force said. The officers patrol the St Ann's and Meadows areas of the city where there have been at least 14 drug-related shootings in the past year. Full explanation The Home Office pointed out the power to issue patrolling officers with guns is devolved to each constabulary and said it was not informed in the decision. But Home Officer minister Charles Clarke told The Sunday Times he will be asking for a full explanation from Nottinghamshire police. He said: "I would stress this is an operational matter for the chief constable, but I have asked for a full briefing. For the time being I am not going to say more than that." Other police forces will be watching the experiment with interest The effects of the landmark decision are being closely watched by at least six other forces, including Merseyside and West Yorkshire, according to The Sunday Times. But the Metropolitan Police says its armed response unit is adequate to deal with drug-related gun crimes. The decision has been seized upon by Shadow Home Secretary Anne Widdicombe who said it was a "sad indictment" of the Labour Party's crime policies. She said: "This tells the true story of Labour's failure to tackle violent crime and the real consequences of drug use in society. 'Sad indictment' "It is a sad indictment of this Government's utter failure that such a move should be necessary." Nottinghamshire police say the number of shootings in the two areas patrolled has declined from five in the fortnight before its introduction to 10 in the last nine months, and say their efforts have the support of the public. Police usually only carry guns to deal with sieges, armed robberies, terrorist attacks or diplomatic duties. The only force in Britain which routinely carries guns on the beat are Royal Ulster Constabulary (RUC) officers. Nottinghamshire police is the first constabulary to allow bobbies carry guns on the beat Operation Real Estate involves at least six officers, armed with pistols and operating in pairs, spending up to five hours from dusk until midnight patrolling the streets. They will carry P990 pistols on their hips and are supported by two police vans carrying rifles to be used for special incidents or road checks. Nottinghamshire Police Assistant Chief Constable Sean Price said the guns were necessary to send a signal to rival gangs that the police were serious about tackling drug-related crime. He told Police Review magazine: "'We have to show that we are going to be out there to protect the public from these firearms acts that are going on. "The most visible way of sending that [message] to the public is by saying that our officers are armed. "It is also about sending a very strong message to those who wanted to use firearms that we are going to protect the public; that this is not acceptable and that we will put armed officers out. "We are also sending them the message: 'Don't use firearms because we have an armed response to deal with it.'"