Page 1 of Policeman Killed In Manchester

Bastards

"A policeman has died after being stabbed in a counter-terrorism raid in Manchester.

Four more have been injured - one seriously.


The dead officer was stabbed in the chest during the operation in the north of the city.

A police spokeswoman said officers had gone to an address with immigration officials to detain a man under counter-terrorism legislation.

Two more men were arrested under the Counter Terrorism Act 2000, in connection with an ongoing operation with the Metropolitan Police Service Anti-Terrorism Branch.

The officer who died was male and suffered chest wounds, the spokeswoman said.

Another officer also suffered serious chest injuries and a total of five officers were treated for injuries, she added."

What on earth can you say?. My absolute sympathies to the family of the officer who died.
How many more good men and possibly women will die before we accept that we must protect our protectors
Its been said many many times before I know, but it`s time to arm our policeforces.
I know there serving officers who are forum members and quite a few who are ex-job like myself.
Going up against knife wielding or gun carrying thugs with a thick stick or nowadays a metal rod is a no contest.
Arming most or all frontline officers has to come and with the world climate as it is, now is as good a time as any.
I believe the majority of the decent people in the U.K. would now support such a move.
P.

<<I believe the majority of the decent people in the U.K. would now support such a move>>

Whilst I echo everything you say about it being appalling that this should happen, I`m not sure I agree with the small excerpt I`ve quoted. I seem to recall the last poll that I saw which asked that question to members of the public came back with around 60-40 in favour of maintaining the status quo.

The number of crimes involving firearms in recent years has risen quite sharply, but I can`t help but think that every small-time crook is going to give serious thought to going "tooled up" if they know that the police are routinely armed. Guns are just going to become more and more prevalent, and that`s a battle our already besieged police just can`t win.

You`re perhaps better placed than me to comment, but I also wouldn`t have thought that every copper would want to carry a firearm......?

Yes its true, policemen should be armed. Also the punishment should be harsher. Too many people have been getting off easy for serious crimes. Im not suggesting capital punishment but FFS we cant let killers out within 2 years and muggers/burglers out withing a few months.

The solution is for this country to stop being such a soft touch with crime (amongst other things)

I feel for his poor family.

The day the British people stop being such sheep is the day it will change.

I agree with Mark T, that arming the police by default is a dangerous move, one which the police themselves actually think isn`t a good idea. Petty criminals at the moment have a great defense against being arrested, its called legging it. If an officer is armed then some of them will arm themselves simply because they now feel they have to.

The problem in this country is not that we are soft on crime, but that for one reason or another the police have a hard job tracking down, collecting enough proof, and arresting the suspects.

But thats a subject for another thread. It`s never nice to see those who protect and serve the public dying needlessly. :/

Most of the other countries in the European Union are and have been routinely armed for decades. It does not seem to be a problem for the population and is accepted as the price required to protect the police. In this country more and more young men with or without a criminal record are carrying real or modified firearms.
Yes, there are officers who would not wish to be armed and no doubt some who should not be armed but there is no escaping the fact that with every force increasing the number of armed response units on the quiet it is going to happen eventually
Our airports are protected by armed officers and nobody complains indeed travellers feel safer.
If the choice is between a armed force and more policemen dying in the gutter there is no choice.
P..

"The day the British people stop being such sheep is the day it will change."

What on Earth is this supposed to mean?

--Mike

I hold Blair, Straw and Blunkett responsible for this terrible murder. I am sure that within the next few days it will be announced that these people are bogus asylum seekers being funded by the British tax payer. Our Government has allowed this situation to happen therefore they should shoulder the full responsibility of their inactions.