Armed?

kowloon wrote: »

Would the lack of risk though (compared to dealing with someone at arms length) result in people getting tazered for mouthing off or something similarly unworthy of electrical stimulation?

It's not that simple really. Tasers have a microchip which records the time and length of use each time it's being deployed. Policeman using it in a way you described would have a lot of explaining to do.
This also reminds me a point about tasers being made on the radio - i'ts a bit silly saying that tasers will be used to torture people etc - you could use your thumb to do it, you don't need a taser. It's people who hurt people, weapons are just tools.

Re foreign lad in Canada: he was actually polish, and he wasn't an illegal immigrant, he just came to the country and there was some problem with a visa. They couldn't communicate with him due to the language barer, he got agitated, they called the mounties and i ended how it ended. He got zapped way to many times and his heart couldn't take it anymore.

It's an example of the abuse of power, nothing else, but it's being used as a proof that tasers are dangerous. Like karlito said, ASP can be as deadly when used incorrectly.

i agree i would much rather have a taser than spray. Noel Conroy was quote to have said about the spray - over my dead body will they have pepper spray...

Murphy has made no comment yet, no one knows how he feels about it. But i read in the Indo a month back that Garda management had approved it after the Inspectorate released a report. I dunno. Sgt in Charge of training is crying out for spray as the ASPs are effective but dangerous they need a go between.

As far as i am aware ERU are trained in OC spray from large cannister and pepper rounds that can be deployed from shotgun for barricade incidents (as a result of Abbeylara) they have less lethal teams which can move in, and more recently then and more popular - the Taser, the RSU are supposed to be getting trained in these as well.

interesting poll from http://breakingnews.ie/ireland/mhqlkfeyojsn/


More than half of gardaí polled about arming the force said uniformed officers should carry guns, it was revealed today.

The online survey by Garda Review magazine found 53% of respondents believed the time had come to issue firearms to rank and file.

Some 159 members who completed the survey were asked: “Do you now believe that all uniformed gardai on duty should routinely be armed?”

Half of respondents were attached to regular units of the force, with 63% of these in favour of being issued with guns.

Of the 47% that voted against more guns, many expressed a desire for more – and more visible – armed response units, according to Garda Review.

It said little emphasis could be placed on the response from other units because of the small sample size.

The results showed a majority of detectives who responded were against the idea but most student gardai were in favour.

The official magazine of the Garda Representative Association claimed the results signalled a cultural shift inside the force.

In an article on the findings, the magazine said the poll results were at odds with a common perception that uniformed gardai don’t want to carry guns.

The survey was carried out over the Garda Review website on a strictly one member/one vote basis, the magazine said.

utick wrote: »

interesting poll from http://breakingnews.ie/ireland/mhqlkfeyojsn/


More than half of gardaí polled about arming the force said uniformed officers should carry guns, it was revealed today.

The online survey by Garda Review magazine found 53% of respondents believed the time had come to issue firearms to rank and file.

Some 159 members who completed the survey were asked: “Do you now believe that all uniformed gardai on duty should routinely be armed?”

Half of respondents were attached to regular units of the force, with 63% of these in favour of being issued with guns.

Of the 47% that voted against more guns, many expressed a desire for more – and more visible – armed response units, according to Garda Review.

It said little emphasis could be placed on the response from other units because of the small sample size.

The results showed a majority of detectives who responded were against the idea but most student gardai were in favour.

The official magazine of the Garda Representative Association claimed the results signalled a cultural shift inside the force.

In an article on the findings, the magazine said the poll results were at odds with a common perception that uniformed gardai don’t want to carry guns.

The survey was carried out over the Garda Review website on a strictly one member/one vote basis, the magazine said.

Beaten too the punch in posting this. :P

Was reading the article today, wont have a chance to scan the full thing sorry but what was really interesting was that a lot of people were in favour of arming but not immediate as they felt radio, cars and other areas were more of a priority. The 53% were for arming now. Others also said we needed more armed backup and spray, etc for ourselves.

Also, the number mentioned above is the number of people questioned in person, the number that completed the online survey was a lot higher.

Fire arms are bad, doesn't matter who has them. It's a touchy subject, but as a member of the public, this is who I and alot of other people see it.

But I am not in the force so I have no real idea of how bad the situation is just from reading the papers but they always over emphasise how bad a situation is.

Also firearms are around centrys what's changed that we suddley need too arm the force? There nothing new like !! Tazzers & CS all the way.

The nog, As I understand your personal protection must come first, but your human at the end of the day, follow your natural instinct and get the hell away from the trouble, if it becomes more than your head.

I think this is why the garda are as good as they are, they use as much reason and they do force.

Just full on arming is a bit over the top! CS, tazzers and rubber bullets, are as much force as shooting someone, without the high risk of death.

Then again, any scumbag who points guns at people deserve to be shot, dunno I just can't put my finger on it. Something would not feel right, maybe just seen some people with guns??

I think Paul Williams made a good point about this survey: A lot of members surveyed were probationers or students, and since a lot of them are younger and less experienced there would be much more gung ho, and know a lot less about the realities of the job.

msg11 wrote: »

The nog, As I understand your personal protection must come first, but your human at the end of the day, follow your natural instinct and get the hell away from the trouble, if it becomes more than your head.

Unfortunately as any guard can tell you, trouble often seeks you out, not the other way around. And if guards didn't constantly step up and put themselves at risk to deal with "trouble", then who exactly would deal with the criminals, be they coked up, carrying knives, just pure bad, etc. etc.?? nurses? teachers maybe? Damned if you do, damned if you don't....

the locust wrote: »

I heard McCabes weapon was in the boot of the car in the safe? Anyone know?

Without a doubt the most disdainful comment I have ever read on this forum.

:mad: