So English Cops Are Unarmed, Huh?

[Capybara]

I am walking around Kensington, in London tonight. I saw no less than six Bobby's walking down Kensington High Street, in pairs, armed with what looks like HK MP5s and Beretta 92s on their hips. The MP5s were locked and loaded, I asked one of them. I am no expert, I have shot an MP5 and that is what they looked like but perhaps they were other HK variants?

I think they are spooked because of the Kenyan incident, a high population of Africans around here. Interesting how anti-gun societies will arm right up any time there is a perceived threat.

[renardsubtil]

They have different levels/kinds of cops but yes a majority of them are unarmed and even when an incident is identified as requiring lethal force as a defense or otherwise, they call in backup and a truckload of armed cops comes.

[TS77]

Yeah, most are unarmed, but they have their armed units always close by, maybe a little more discrete. Works for them, because of the generally much denser living. I can't imagine a constable in the boondocks has back up a few blocks away.

[Capybara]

I just thought it was interesting, I have visited London several times, first time I have seen English cops walking around with submachine guns, much less seeing three separate pairs within 1000 yards of each other.

In Paris, OTOH, I always see French soldiers walking around with machine guns.

[Capybara]

Have you read about the multiple response teams when one English couple found a .22 round in the street? It's a little different over here, although disarmed megalopolis' like New York and LA aren't far behind.

[pc_load_letter]

I saw the London police with the MP5's the last time I was there as well. Almost seven years ago. Saw them mostly around the tourist spots, Big Ben etc etc.

[renardsubtil]

I feel that the denser population is one thing but culturally it works...although I also feel that with the rising immigrant population who aren't really integrating well with the culture, we'll see a change....

[ChrisC]

Kensington?
The Royal burrow?
Up top?

Huzzah, a man of quality!!!


Sorry, but any time I hear the name Kensington, all I can think of is the movie Flushed Away.

[Citadelgrad87]

I read in the late 80s that at least one street Bobby wore an AutoMag in a shoulder holster. I think it was a letter to Guns and Ammo.

[desrt2]

There are local "authorized firearms officers" the beat cops have to call up while they are getting hacked up by thugs with machetes. The AFO's must be authorized by an "Appropriate Authorizing Officer." (Inspector of higher) Then, THEN, those officers have their firearms stored in a container in a local armored vehicle before use.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Authorised_Firearms_Officer

They are trained to shoot only the extremities because of the threat of a suicide vest. I'd hate to be any innocent passerby who is downrange.
Northern Ireland has their heads screwed on tight. They carry all the time, on and off duty.
But these are the guys that wore bright red coats, stood up in rows and were shot like bowling pins in the Revolutionary War. Then called the blue coats uncivilized or rude for not following the rules.

[BP22]

Kensington?
The Royal burrow?
Up top?

Huzzah, a man of quality!!!


Sorry, but any time I hear the name Kensington, all I can think of is the movie Flushed Away.

Me too! My kids love that movie.

"Ice him...ice them both!"

[gun toting monkeyboy]

I was there in May, and I saw lots of armed cops. Not just MP5s, but also quite a few armed with MP7s. Very nice. Of course, when I was in Italy, most of the cops in airports and such were armed with Beretta smgs.

-Mb

[TeddyBallgame]

I was there in May, and I saw lots of armed cops. Not just MP5s, but also quite a few armed with MP7s. Very nice. Of course, when I was in Italy, most of the cops in airports and such were armed with Beretta smgs.

I spent several months in Italy, had to go back and forth to Fiumicino Airport several times...always full of military police and the Carabinieri armed, and, at the ready

Same when I landed in Dusseldorf, Germany...armed police walking all around the area...while I know the police can arm themselves in England, if necessary, I've been there 3 times and never seen an armed officer yet...maybe next time

[bigbearbear]

Sadly, the world is a more dangerous place now. I was in Paris and London earlier this year with my wife. Cops and soldiers in most tourist locations, heavily armed.

The one good thing I can see, is that it seems to keep the pickpockets and con artists away.

When I was vacationing back home in Singapore and laying on beach of the resort island, I also noticed a helicopter gunship bristling with weaponry circling the area.

I think most counties take security much more seriously now, their mostly unarmed civilians, including old folks, women and children, are considered prime targets by terrorists.

[smle-man]

I was there in May, and I saw lots of armed cops. Not just MP5s, but also quite a few armed with MP7s. Very nice. Of course, when I was in Italy, most of the cops in airports and such were armed with Beretta smgs.

-Mb

You should've seen Germany and Italy in the late 70s during the baader meinhoff and red brigade days. Cops in pairs with MP5s and Beretta SMGs everywhere. A traffic stop in West Germany had one cop standing back with the SMG leveled while the other approached the car. When I saw that I wondered who got to be the one in the possible line of fire?