Hi do the police in Great Britain carry pistols?

Bear

In answer to your question a regular patrolling officer does not carry a firearm.

They are equipped with Pepper spary / Parva, baton and cuffs.

Each of the forces within the UK does however have a firearms department. This department is responsible for making sure that the force has an adequate response to firearms incidents and the criminal use of firearms.

We are responsible for crewing the ARV's (armed response vehicles). We have a minimum of four ARV's patrolling the county. We also have a dog car with a passive attack dog (Rottweiler/German Shepherd or Malinoir). The dog handler has an armed minder. We provide 24 hour cover, 365 days a year. The ARV's would respond to any spontaneous firearms incidents that occur. One of the cars is staffed by an accredited Bronze Commander (who would effectively run the firearms officers on the ground) and a firearms tactical advisor. The TA advises the Silver Commander, who will be elsewhere. Both the Bronze and TA are firearms officers and armed.

The ARV officers carry sidearms for self protection, Taser, Parva, and baton. The cars are equipped with Heckler and Koch G36' carbines x2 and a baton gun (locked away in a car safe). We do need an authority to draw carbines, however can self arm if life is in immediate danger and to seek authority would delay officer action to save life.

Several UK police forces are currently undertaking trails with non-firearms officers issued with Taser. This is with a view to non-firerarms officers countrywide having Taser as the norm. In my view this would be a welcome addition.

In relation to what we would do with armed subjects; If officers were not already at the scene ARV's would be sent (directly if anyone was in immediate danger)(to an RV point if not). The ARV crews would then deal with the incident. If unarmed officers came accross the incident they have the option of backing off and keeping a visual containment on the subject until armed officers arrived.

I am aware of unarmed officers tackling armed subjects, sometimes successfully and sometimes not. There have been a few occasions recently where I am aware that unarmed officers have been sadly killed by armed subjects.

All that said the UK will not routinely arm all police officers.

taxed till i die,

In general no guns,We do have armed response units.Pepper sprays,Tasars,And truncheons.

gazza

no they dont but if someones running around with a gun armed police turn up in in minites

babytoots

In Northern Ireland police officers are armed

Sal*UK

No, generally our police are not armed. However, there are a number of Armed Response Vehicles in every force area.

coffee

We have specially trained police armed response units who have weapons in their vehicle but they need permission to use them. The majority of British police are unarmed and only have a baton and CS spray.

Hailie-jane C

im from the uk the general police dont but they have specially traine officers called armed response who do have guns they are starting to use stun guns now in more police forces which are non leathol

Mighty Celt

Not in England, they have special armed units though. In Northern Ireland they carry guns.

mad keith

the british cop on patrol does not carry guns only the specilist cops do

boo yah

Bear has given you your top answer. 100% accurate. I notice that a few have mentioned correctly that the Police Service of Northern Ireland is routinely armed. This is also correct but you said "in Great Britain" which is England, Scotland and Wales. Northern Ireland, while part of the United Kingdom, is not in fact in Great Britain.

nsnsnsns

i'm sure they don't

Tracy L

no, they carry batons, sticks that extend and I think they have mase? Armed police are obviuosly armed but an everyday pc isn't

Ollie

No they do not carry guns but we do have special armed police units.

Grandmaster

not usually - call for back up and hope their fighting skills are up to scratch?

thecharleslloyd

The Armed Police is a branch of the British Police Force. The normal Police Officer does not carry a gun.

robert c

Some do!

Rad

i dont think so but maybe they should?

i noticed the police in spain carry guns and big long sticks (got mugged on sunday in barcelona)

leopardshaz

NO!
Only the specialist ARMED RESPONSE UNIT.
OR
the police who patrol airports anti terrorist squad.

Kai B

No but we do have a rapid responce fire arms unit, only in the bigger area's though with higher crime rate i.e. manchester, birmingham.

sinkys

only special sections of the police are allowed to carry weapons.a responce group situated near big cities etc,the local police carry batons ,spray cuffs two way radios....................

bobonumpty

yes..some of them but not all ...most carry a baton which is very painful stick , some have tzar's , some mace I think not sure if that's legal GB or something similar ,some have guns depends on were they are and level of security need some have all of the above , but most just have big stick and even that is used in moderation we have mostly nice police in GB the hardest thing they wield mostly is fines big style ..revenue earner for gov..

No and that is why cops in the UK are always getting beatup.

martin fantuzio

some forces carry tazers but were ever there's a risk to humanity like a train or airport the police are equipped wit heckler and Koch carbines in case of of an armed confrontation the police call on there firearms unit but in some counties ie greater Manchester the police are armed

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I dnt think so because they fine you or punish u if u have 1 so i cnt see y they wud have one. They kicked up such a big fuss about stun guns hurtin ppl they wudnt even think about life threatening bullet guns

URBAN SOUL

british police carry guns almost routinely now,but not always!

maurice

only the swat teams, and i think the flying squad

STAND2

The "police" in Britain can,t even be trusted to drive around the streets without killing dozens of people every year! God only knows what would be the outcome of letting the clowns loose with fire-arms!

aimee

police dont carry weapons such as guns they have their hand cuffs and a baton thingy thats it. The riot police can have guns but they aint hand guns more military style things. British police dont carry guns, the gun trade is not as big a thing as it is in america. We cant legally have guns like americans so police dont really need them like they do up there, there are very few gun wars here.

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