Anyone else find it strange that most British and SKorean Police DON'T carry pistols?

[TheTrevor]

I've been to the UK a number of times in recent years. The idea that UK cops, and particularly London cops, go unarmed is unalloyed bullkitten. The difference is that they jump directly from baton-and-spray to MP5-class sub guns with 3 spare mags. While I grant that my last trip over there was immediately before the start of the Summer Olympics, so security posture was a bit stepped up from usual, I didn't go a single day without seeing London cops on foot patrol with MP5s. This was consistent with my previous visits, FWIW, especially around transit stations such as train terminals and airports.

Get out of the major cities, though, and the polarity flips back to the stereotype of "unarmed constables except in dire emergency".

[johnnyyukon]

I think the average cop needs his gun barely more than the average citizen. Which is to say, they should have them, but if the don't the large majority of them will get by. The vast, vast majority of cops barely qualify with it and never discharge it.

There are definitely areas and squads where this "average" in *no way* applies.

I do think it's a somewhat laudable level of philosophical consistency in a country that bans guns, though. Cops and citizens should be equally armed.

Some of my friends with CHL licenses carry their guns EVERYWHERE, church, restaurants, grocery stores; this isn't even a high crime rate town. I have my license on the way, and not sure I would have my IWB holster next to my car keys and wallet. I've personally NEVER encountered a situation in my entire life where I said to myself "my god, I wish I had a gun right now." But I don't know, I guess that's just my experience.

Not to say that couldn't happen. Just doesn't feel like the Wild West out there to me.

I've had two friends burglarized (so this isn't even carry conceal situation) one with a pregnant wife asleep (buddy held his pistol to the guy's face until the cops arrived), and another elementary school friend that was tied up by meth heads that were arguing whether or not to kill him (they didn't).

And no, I don't live in the ghetto, this is generally a very peaceful University town.

[Trooper224]

"I've personally NEVER encountered a situation in my entire life where I said to myself "my god, I wish I had a gun right now."

No one does, until they do.

[Tamara]

Some of my friends with CHL licenses carry their guns EVERYWHERE, church, restaurants, grocery stores; this isn't even a high crime rate town.

To paraphrase Kathy Jackson, I don't carry a gun to anyplace; I just carry a gun. I don't play actuarial bingo with the whole "Should I take a gun here? How about there?" I mean, if I think I'll need a gun to go someplace, I don't go there.

[johnnyyukon]

To paraphrase Kathy Jackson, I don't carry a gun to anyplace; I just carry a gun. I don't play actuarial bingo with the whole "Should I take a gun here? How about there?" I mean, if I think I'll need a gun to go someplace, I don't go there.

Yeah, and I don't judge anyone for it. Hell, maybe when I get my license, I will too. Just in my experience, haven't felt the need.

[Tamara]

Just in my experience, haven't felt the need.

FWIW, I never have either. I avoid being around the dope, get home at a decent hour, and don't go stupid places with stupid people to do stupid things, so I'll probably never need a gun.

(But it turns out I've been wrong about that a couple times. )

Still, even if a gypsy fortune teller told me I'd never ever need one again, I'd carry one anyway, just because. I think it's as much a philosophical statement with me as it is is anything else; as a history buff, it's struck me as a pretty consistent way to tell the serf from the sovereign.

[Fiddler1537]

I wear my seat belt every time I drive. In the past 45 yrs of driving I have never needed it. In the same period I wish I was armed twice. Once that resulted in a 3 day hospital stay.

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[johnnyyukon]

I wear my seat belt every time I drive. In the past 45 yrs of driving I have never needed it. In the same period I wish I was armed twice. Once that resulted in a 3 day hospital stay.

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Care to share the story?

I think part of it is, for me, that I'm just not used to carrying a weapon. I wasn't used to owning my first firearm, but that changed pretty quick.

[JDM]

I've pointed my gun at a few people. The last time I pointed my gun at someone I was watering my front lawn at nearly midnight (because it was absolutely beautiful out and I wasn't sleepy), on an otherwise unremarkable evening. I live in a "nice" neighborhood and do not behave in a fashion that would otherwise predicate criminal activity.

Sometimes you do everything right and still need a gun.

[Suvorov]

It is funny to me how many folks who are otherwise not superstitious, see the gun as some sort of talisman. Either its mere presence will be a ward against evil (and thus there is no need to train with it or even wear it) or like Luke in the Cave - it will attract evil and thus it should be avoided at all costs.

Then again, some folks are just lazy and don't think it will ever happen on their watch.

I worked the other day with a guy to explained to me that although he was one of our "officers" trained and authorized to carry a gun, he left it at home. I asked him what good it would do us locked up at home to which he replied that he just didn't feel like bringing it with him that week. I told him if he had a link or address to the website that the bad guys run that shows all their schedules and who and what they are going to attack that week. He just stared blankly at me.

Every day, some dood or doodette goes out there not thinking they will need a gun and by the end of the day they end up wishing to God (and all that other "superstitious nonsense") that they had it. It's like a bizarro world lottery only they buy there ticket by simply waking up. Every day somebody wins.

There are places I don't go armed and it bothers me, because IF I can have a gun with me - then I damn sure will. This isn't Degobah.