Can Cops carry guns in Britain?

[ginscpy]

I watched a movie called "The Lodger" from 1944 -aboutJack The Ripper.

In the movie - somebody says - why doesntsomebody shoot him.

The response was the the police in England aren't alowed to carry firearms.

Yet in the climactics scene in that same movie - the cops are shooting at Jack with pistols as he makes his escape...............................................

 

[California Girl]

The police in Britain are not generally armed.

All British police forces have armed response units though.

 

[laughinReaper]

it makes for good drama. I'm sure there was a hail of gunfire and he still got away. Why are movie shootouts always full of people with bad aim?

 

[ginscpy]

Somebody hire a scriptwriter

 

[California Girl]

Somebody hire a scriptwriter

Police officers do not qualify to sniper standard of shooting.... particularly in Britain.

 

[ginscpy]

wht don t theBrits make up threoir minds

 

[California Girl]

wht don t theBrits make up threoir minds

They have made their minds up. Guns are not legal in Britain so there is no real need for all police officers to be armed. But, since there are illegal firearms - and bad guys do sometimes use guns here... they opt to have armed response units scattered around the country so they can, when necessary, call on those. It ain't rocket science... but appears to be above your intellectual pay grade.

 

[Ringel05]

it makes for good drama. I'm sure there was a hail of gunfire and he still got away. Why are movie shootouts always full of people with bad aim?

In this country how many times have you heard: "Officers involved in shootout, suspect grazed in leg, taken into custody. Police verify they fired nearly 100 rounds, (or some similar high number), unknown how many the suspect fired". Or: "Heavy gun battle with police results in suspect being arrested. No one was injured".
I hear it more frequently then not, trust me, when you're under fire you first and continuing primary thought is cover.