Routine arming is not the answer, says Essex Police Federation

OFFICERS should not be routinely armed, says Essex Police Federation.

A recent PFEW survey revealed that 41% of Essex officers are in favour of the routine arming of officers and that 65% would be prepared to carry a firearm at times on duty. Across England and Wales that figure was 55%

However, Essex Police Federation Chairman Steve Taylor believes that officers in Essex and beyond should not be routinely armed.

“We police by consent and I think the routine arming of every officer could undermine that system and I don’t think that’s placing officers’ lives at risk.

“Thankfully at the moment I don’ think we face the level of firearms violence that would necessitate officers having guns.”

Steve also points to incidents where being armed has been tragically detrimental for officers, especially as the level of training they received isn’t as high as for specialist armed police.

“The dreadful tragic case in Belgium where the two female officers were killed with their own guns and the Charlie Hebdo terrorist attack in France are examples where officers carry guns, but they are not trained to the same standards as our AFOs.

“Specialised firearms officers and their training is head and shoulders above the ordinary training police who carry guns in other countries receive.

“During the attack in Liege the officers’ guns were taken from them and used to commit further atrocities and while these may be extreme cases they are a reason why I don’t want officers routinely carrying firearms.

“I don’t think our communities want to see that either,” he added.