Arming of police

Press, 29 December 1980, Page 16

Arming of police

Sir, — Let us forget our old-fashioned scruples in the sense that somehow it isn’t British, “not done, old boy, and all tnat sort of thing” and don’t just allow our police to carry arms but make it compulsory for them to do so for their own safety and the safety of the rest of the law-abiding community. It is said that some policemen and traffic inspectors hesitate to move in on the so-called tough element if there happens to be a number of them. If that is true who can blame them? The theory seems to be that if the police are armed the cowards who hunt only in packs will also get arms. What have they got now? Toys? Surely a man like our Prime Minister who is so tough at handling newspaper

reporters and television interviewers can also be tough enough to find. a way to handle gangs and other thugs who are an evering ujeer in our community. If he brings in a law which will allow our law enforcement officers to use even mac h i n e-guns in the constantly increasing stuggle against, violence which has no regard for age or sex I for one will have no objection. — Yours, etc., J. NEE. December 25, 1980.