Should The Police Be Armed?

Brian,

Is there an error in the figures? Ireland's population is just short of 4 million, which is 40 times 100,000. These figures therefore suggest that only one person (40 x 0.03 = 1.2) is murdered with a firearm per year in Ireland?

One per week sounds more realistic.
 
I'd imagine the figures were compiled before the latest set of gangs decided to start shooting each other dead in a lovely example of natural selection.
 
simmo - as stated, the data is from an FBI report

Grey - in the year sampled the population was shown as 3,525,719 with a total number of murders shown as 22, one of which was by use of a firearm.
 
Brian
your figures do not convience me, I perfectly know what would happen where I live in the police were not armed.
 
Thanks, Brian. I'm afraid those figures are now out of date for Ireland. As Gareth indicates, members of rival criminal gangs have in recent times been shooting each other with little or no restraint.
 
Of course, they'd still be doing so regardless of whether the police were armed or not.

How many gun crimes can't actively be prevented by police officers because they're unarmed? Isn't that what Armed Response Units are for?
 
Originally posted by BrianH@Nov 24 2005, 10:49 AM
Am I the only person who tries to back up his opinion with facts?
Click to expand...
Brian
I dont see the correlation between those figures.

If I had time and will I would have figures mixing crimes and the weather.....


If you would have had the police in Paris last month without arms......the cars still would be firing.
 
I don't know how relevant those particular figures are. Maybe it indicates that Murderers will use a gun rather than a knife or other means if they think they will be faced with armed police, but if it doesn't prevent murders it makes sod all difference. The figure that should be used is murders per 100,000 - mind you the figures for that will probably help Brian's case as well.

The reason I would like the police armed are for cases like the Charlie Chawke shooting in Dublin. In this case two unarmed gardai put their lives on the line and caught the shooter. How many gardai would ring in looking for support and allow the criminal to get away to repeat the incident and enjoy their ill-gotten gains. Personally, brave as they were, I think those particular policemen were very foolish, and were more liable to end up on Brian's statistic that get a conviction.
 
Absolutely. I don't see your point. Surely they were more likely to make a capture with a gun than without. I don't think it is in question that you would want armed police to face armed criminals - it is the wandering around in between times that is in question. To my mind being able to respond immediately to situations like this makes up for the wandering around armed issue.
 
My point is that you've already cast doubt on the judgement of the guards in question, yet you'd happily give them guns with which to exercise their flawed judgement.

To my mind being able to respond immediately to situations like this
Click to expand...

Isn't that what Armed Response Units are for?
 
Originally posted by sunybay@Nov 24 2005, 10:07 AM
I dont see the correlation between those figures.
Click to expand...
suny, the point I'm trying to make is that my opinions on social, economic and political matters are based on information and experience, not gut reaction.
 
Brian this figues are total nonsense!
check it again, ist has to be much higher everywhere.

i dont know why you refer to homicides only. if to support your theorie you must consider the statistics for crime as a whole.

i googled it for a second and among the many different (and also contradicting!) statistics i found a interesting one saying that:
with assaults and robbery the figures in UK (no armed police) are about double as high as in the USA (armed police).
now?
 
Originally posted by Wassermusik@Nov 24 2005, 11:35 AM
i googled it for a second and among the many different (and also contradicting!) statistics i found a interesting one saying that:
with assaults and robbery the figures in UK (no armed police) are about double as high as in the USA (armed police).
now?
Click to expand...
Please show this
 
it is cited as data from the Daily Express, Thurs 29 June, by David Taylor
.. Robbery per 1,000 population
USA: 5.3 UK: 7.6

....Assault per 1,000 populaton
USA: 8.8 UK: 20


also from there:
Morde per 100.000 Einwohner in
Deutschland 6,5 in Ungarn 4,3 in Österreich 2,1 und
in Finnland 0,6.
___
 
This thread begs the question "should gate people at racecourses be allowed to carry cattle prods"
icon_eek.gif
 
Back
Top