trailerdude

Depends whether your democracy is measured based on the majority of gun owners, or majority of population. I didn't see too many complaints from the majority of the population....

trailerdude

Illogical, but based on results, effective, no?

Pulaski

As there is no "control population" to measure the results against, it is impossible to say for certain, but given that spree shootings were extremely rare occurrences in the UK prior to the handgun ban, the fact that Derrick Bird managed to kill twelve people, plus himself, in 2010, I would say it is likely that, statistically speaking, the ban on handguns was not effective. This of course should not be surprising to anyone because Derrick Bird, in common with most other spree killers, didn't use a handgun.

dc koop

Pointless I would say, when the uncle who owned pistols for sporting purposes was required to forfeit them. Why?

Maybe country squires and the Royals should be required to hand in their firearms also. You never know.... country squires might suddenly decide to go on the rampage and the Royals might just get tired of shooting grouse and decide to look for new targets Ridiculous the whole thing!

I'm sure law enforcement and the powers that be know the real people they should be going after. If they don't... it's time they did

mikelincs

It's was, in fact, the government giving a knee jerk reaction to what had happened, and showing the public that they were trying to do something to stop, or ameliorate the problem. This unlike the US where the NRA have such a major influence with thier lobbying and the fact that many congress members rely on thier support.

MartynK

Not quite correct. Sir Stephen House, the previous Chief Constable of Police Scotland, was heavily criticised for using armed officers on routine duties. Complainants included MSPs, some of his own senior officers and the public. There was a sense that House was determined to 'normalise' this practice, and he reportedly ignored instructions from the Scottish government to end it.

scot47

The sight of Scottish police officers routinely carrying weapons was a shock to many here. House and his crony McCaskill have now disappeared from public life.

Pulaski

Were they, er, fired?

mrken30

The British Police tend to carry more accurate weapons than most countries. Quality over quantity.

scrubbedexpat099

Really?

scot47

They have been sent for re-education to a camp in the Distant North.

mrken30

Most of the guns the British Police carry have longer barrels. I may be wrong, but I think generally it's only SWAT teams here that carry long guns.

scrubbedexpat099

Ohh

So length effects penetration?

SultanOfSwing

The PSNI carry the Glock 17 (previously the Ruger Speed Six) on the beat, many police forces in the US also carry Glocks. The only people I ever saw carrying long arms in NI while out and about were the British Army.

I did see a couple of armed officers at Manchester airport last year, though, carrying what I think were some kind of H&K carbine rifle.

I think you're mixing your metaphors there

Long arms are more accurate, but comparing a tactical response unit such as whatever SO19 are called these days, and an armed officer on the beat doesn't really work.

dc koop

What weapons do they carry? Police in my neck of the woods carry Glocks. A pretty fine accurate weapon by any standard. Patrol cars are equipped with shot guns.

The police who patrol London Heathrow airport have been carrying machine pistols for years.

I haven't yet seen any American airport police carrying weapons comparable in fire power to those. They just carry hand guns