Discussing :: Arming the Police

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Yes I support arming all police. With the recession people are more desparate these days and don't think twice about pulling out a gun and shooting anyone in the way. RIP Gauge.

I've neen overseas and when I saw a cop with a gun I certainly pulled my head in and respected there authority

Australian police must laugh at us! Over there it is nearly impossible to own a firearm and there cops are armed. Here, practically anyone can have a firearm and our police don't have them. Ludicrous really...

Gosh it great what dogs do for us, they are absolutely wonderful!

If the Police are armed that will only serve to escalate the amount of violence that offenders are willing to carry out. Guns = violence. The best thing NZ ever did was place restrictions on firearms back in the early/mid 1990's. I also think that P as made offenders more edgy and harded to deal with and therefore the police need to be able to defend themselves. It seems that now NZ needs to up the ante and deal with these overpowered and steroid type airguns. Offenders will always use weapons but if we can lessen the amounts of damage that those weapons can do - the better a society we will have. I am all for arming the police - provided there are very clear restrictions such as - police may only visibly carry weapons at airports or on security detail AND at all other times weapons must be kept secure within a polce vehicle. Guns = more violence.

Hmm. Tricky one. While seeing an armed officer would certainly be a stark reminder of civil authority, police are, after all, human beings prone to gargantuan mistakes at inopportune times. Remember Stephen Wallace? Remember the shambolic manhunt that was Aramoana? I also don't condone the use of police dogs in violent situations. The animal lover in me things it grossly unfair to send in an innocent to deal with our f'd up situations. I don't know. Why can't we just all get along?

"The New Zealand Centre for Political Research is a web-based think tank that takes a research-based approach to public policy matters and encourages the free and open debate of political issues. www.nzcpr.com" What a joke. i cant believe you put this kind of dribble on your website.

wehen police carry guns it can bring more violence but if they dont they would be in major danger...

I think that the police need to be armed. They need to be able to defend themselves.

I'd like to hear more about the long-range tasers or even tranquiliser guns. I have no problem with armed offenders being shot, saves the taxpayer in jail expenses. My problems lie in the risk to innocent bystanders, and equally to the emotional and moral repercussions on any policeman who used their gun - that sort of thing will stick with or haunt them.