Armed Police - Casually strolling

[Derek Flint]

2 minutes ago, Lxxx said:

The UK becoming an increasing safe haven and international hub for organised crime, people ideologically opposed to the 'western way of life' and an importation of the third world and it's associated morals and values, or lack of, might have something to do with it.  

I hardly recognise the UK when I travel over there now and it is only a matter of time we start to more closely resemble it here. Whether that justifies the routine arming of our police when they order their morning espresso is open for discussion however if we have a new CC from across it isn't unreasonable to assume he might want to re-evaluate our existing manuals and procedures and bring them up to speed with what he is familiar with across, noting the trajectory we are on.

From what I hear he is a very sharp cookie. Low media profile but knows his onions and doing a g0od job

[Vaaish]

2 minutes ago, Derek Flint said:

Its a minor operational change all told. 

In the eyes of the police possibly…in the eyes of the public, I think not. 

[Maugholdmafia]

If the police won't make a statement, then an FOI should reveal if this is the case and also how much is it costing the taxpayer. At least £250k per annum?

[Ghost Ship]

1 hour ago, RecklessAbandon said:

90% of the planet couldn't find the IOM on a map if you put a big flashing neon sign over it.

So my guess is no.

I may be wrong but somehow I doubt that 800 million people know where the IoM is...

[Lxxx]

13 minutes ago, Derek Flint said:

From what I hear he is a very sharp cookie. Low media profile but knows his onions and doing a g0od job

He’ll soon learn that keeping a low media profile here isn’t necessarily viewed as a positive. 

[Maugholdmafia]

Also, it will be interesting to know the figures of armed deployments, say pre covid to now. If there has been a large percentage increase, then doesnt that suggest we are all in mortal danger on our island

[thommo2010]

15 minutes ago, Maugholdmafia said:

If the police won't make a statement, then an FOI should reveal if this is the case and also how much is it costing the taxpayer. At least £250k per annum?

Then crack on and put in your FOI. What do you think is costing 250k a year? some officers carrying firearms?

[cissolt]

12 minutes ago, Lxxx said:

He’ll soon learn that keeping a low media profile here isn’t necessarily viewed as a positive. 

He does seem to have brought his counter terror playbook with him.

This seems like a good idea, citizens reviewing body cam footage:

https://www-bbc-co-uk.cdn.ampproject.org/v/s/www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c0qeq8n09kjo.amp?amp_gsa=1&amp_js_v=a9&usqp=mq331AQGsAEggA

[Numbnuts]

Surely it won’t really cost anything . They have the kit already , they do regular training for just the need of any emergency’s. The officers are already employed and doing there shifts as per normal. Any call outs or need for prolonged activity would be needed regardless and covered in normal staff levels and costings . Any overtime likewise. 

[RecklessAbandon]

1 hour ago, Derek Flint said:

Was usually about 12 -14 deployments a year. Suspect the tempo may be much higher these days.

That only answers half my question - of those 12-14 deployment over a year period, how many of them required firearms to be deployed in a way that could not have been achieved without firearms?

[A fool and his money.....]

20 minutes ago, RecklessAbandon said:

That only answers half my question - of those 12-14 deployment over a year period, how many of them required firearms to be deployed in a way that could not have been achieved without firearms?

None is the honest answer.

[RecklessAbandon]

35 minutes ago, RecklessAbandon said:

That only answers half my question - of those 12-14 deployment over a year period, how many of them required firearms to be deployed in a way that could not have been achieved without firearms?

Additional follow up question:

Were an armed unit is dispatched to a situation where a firearm is not required, how much more does this end up costing the tax payer compared to an unarmed unit?

[kevster]

2 hours ago, RecklessAbandon said:

Additional follow up question:

Were an armed unit is dispatched to a situation where a firearm is not required, how much more does this end up costing the tax payer compared to an unarmed unit?

The officers are being paid anyway - so nothing on salary

Might be a couple of quid extra on fuel judging by the ARV I saw at the sea terminal, but as part of the overall budget - fuck all extra cost

[daisy]

4 hours ago, Derek Flint said:

That's for terrorism. It covers the IOM too. Armed policing covers a much wider remit. And no, nothing has changed other than more sophisticated understanding of risk and threat. We were talking about the response times issue back in 2005.

Was usually about 12 -14 deployments a year. Suspect the tempo may be much higher these days.

But do we need cops walking into Coffee shops for refs fully armed?  

[kevster]

3 minutes ago, daisy said:

But do we need cops walking into Coffee shops for refs fully armed?  

Fully armed? They had hosltered sidearms. I've been to places where people - not always police - walked around with assualt rifles.

When I saw two armed police at the sea terminal, my first response wasn't one of shock and horror and the impending introduction of a police state - it was "fuck me, he's young for a copper"