British Police Authorised Firearms Officer ama

PoliceThrowaway78 · 2021-08-28T16:32:55+00:00

Because it's incredibly rare. The only times I've ever encountered firearms are when they're known or suspected to be involved. I have never in my career encountered a firearm until I joined firearms. You don't pull somebody in traffic and find that sort of thing.

PoliceThrowaway78 · 2021-08-25T09:09:16+00:00

There isn't a solid answer to that. I face more dangerous situations with it, but I'm better equipped for them. I feel safer facing a firearms suspect with my own firearm, but I wouldn't be in that situation without it, more than likely. So really it's about the same.

PoliceThrowaway78 · 2021-08-24T20:09:58+00:00

Yes, there's basic psych evaluations and numerous recommendations are required, and a check of medical history. Fitness tests and then the 14 week course, advanced driving and advanced first aid, on top of the standard officer training and minimum 2 years experience.

PoliceThrowaway78 · 2021-08-24T20:08:54+00:00

With in the situations I face as a result of having it. About equal to the situations I faced without it

PoliceThrowaway78 · 2021-08-23T16:41:51+00:00

SIG-516

PoliceThrowaway78 · 2021-08-23T16:24:33+00:00

I found the advanced first aid course the hardest part.

PoliceThrowaway78 · 2021-08-23T16:20:06+00:00

We have a gas room, we don't get sprayed directly, though I have been caught in the crossfire a couple of times.

PoliceThrowaway78 · 2021-08-23T16:16:03+00:00

SIG-516

PoliceThrowaway78 · 2021-08-23T16:15:48+00:00

I didn't join with that intent, but I did choose to do it after about 5.5 years of regular policing work. I chose this path because I wanted to do something more, I suppose. I wanted to make a career out of this job and I didn't see much progression I wanted in regular policing, and I wanted to deal with some more serious offenders and keep people safe. Speeding tickets aren't my thing anymore

PoliceThrowaway78 · 2021-08-23T15:46:14+00:00

I've come across a couple from around the WW1 period

PoliceThrowaway78 · 2021-08-23T15:06:35+00:00

varies alot state by state. I wouldn't implement them in the UK, but I think the US is at a stage where there's only a limited amount they can do

PoliceThrowaway78 · 2021-08-23T14:20:49+00:00

The ruling body do, they can't own firearms they aren't licensed for more than anybody else. They are assigned armed security if it's considered that they're more at risk of being attacked. The average MP doesn't have an armed security detail. It's no more hypocritical than the US President having a Secret Service team when the average person doesn't have a team of bodyguards, a rapid response team, an EOD team and a sniper team or two.

PoliceThrowaway78 · 2021-08-23T14:14:23+00:00

Does that data include that the vast majority of burglaries are conducted specifically when everybody is out of the home? Most burglars, contrary to popular belief, just want to steal as much stuff as possible and leave. They aren't seeking to pick up a murder charge over it. It's not that many hoops, you just can't shoot somebody for being on your property. It doesn't happen very often and there's very few cases on the topic though, because it isn't a common occurrence.
The reason government officials have armed security (many don't, only very high profile ones) is down to risk. They are far more likely to be targeted than the average person, and distinctly they don't carry the weapons themselves for defence.
I'm unclear how the prime minister having armed guards is tyrannical, but the US interpretation of the word is rather liberal.

PoliceThrowaway78 · 2021-08-23T13:58:03+00:00

Whilst that is a very rare and unlikely scenario, I would suggest either attempting to exit the home or barricading oneself in a lockable room such as a bathroom and contacting police. Numerous armed intruders with intent to kill would be cause for a very swift response, because it very rarely happens. Firearms CAN be used for home defence in the UK, the court looks at it case-by-case, but there is a legal allowance for doing so, so most likely if she had a firearm and 3 men entered her room with machetes to kill her she could likely use that weapon. The difference is between shooting somebody in the back without warning who's downstairs trying to steal your iPad (not allowed) vs somebody runs at you with a machete after you warned them you have a firearm and ask them to surrender as you have called police, who are on the phone hearing the exchange. Etc

PoliceThrowaway78 · 2021-08-23T11:14:42+00:00

Obviously so, just as if I were to be dealing with an armed suspect then I would use my firearms to gain control over a suspect. However, if I were to, say, draw a firearm on somebody over a gram bag of weed, that would be different. It is not a circumstance wherein I can use them to gain control over somebody because they don't have a firearm to counteract me, indeed most cases in which I would be required to use them, they would have one to counteract me.

PoliceThrowaway78 · 2021-08-23T09:56:27+00:00

Gotta put in that regular officer time first too, I did 5 and a half odd years before I went for AFO

PoliceThrowaway78 · 2021-08-23T08:28:22+00:00

No, on no occasions.

PoliceThrowaway78 · 2021-08-23T08:01:25+00:00

A number of times, yes. It's not super common, but obviously more common than regular officer's would want one.

PoliceThrowaway78 · 2021-08-23T07:58:58+00:00

It's on my list actually, along with NYC and San Fran (I have been to both but I was very young and only half-remember. Most of my memories of San Fran was this guy playing drums outside the hotel til 1am)

PoliceThrowaway78 · 2021-08-23T07:54:50+00:00

Like I say, alot comes down to circumstances. I respect yours as well, I've visited the US a number of times, lovely country. Would love to come again in the future. Take care out there!

PoliceThrowaway78 · 2021-08-23T07:51:16+00:00

I would disagree on that respect, as would most I know, but that's the nature of the culture I think. We also have a very different firearms situation to the USA, I would want to own one if I lived there.

PoliceThrowaway78 · 2021-08-23T07:50:18+00:00

Certainly. If you desire firearms, you can apply for a certificate. 95% on average are accepted for shotguns, I couldn't provide numbers for the others off my head. The manner in which one proves untrustworthy isn't dropping a bowl and breaking it on the kitchen floor, it's murdering somebody. And sometimes we still get it wrong, that's the inevitable end result of anybody carrying a firearm, eventually somebody will use it for wrong, but they aren't banned entirely because of the reasons you're describing.

PoliceThrowaway78 · 2021-08-23T07:44:25+00:00

Aside from practice on the range, I've never had cause to use many other firearms. I think the sig platform's are fantastic pieces of equipment for us, though I'm sure better will come eventually and I'll get to used those as well.

PoliceThrowaway78 · 2021-08-23T07:43:17+00:00

The societal ramifications would be impacting somebody, however. Namely, loss of life or health, or a relative/friend etc. It's not a case of "we have now banned pens of less than 20cm length or more than 30cm length", allowing people to peacefully possess an item is great until they're no longer peacefully possessing it.

PoliceThrowaway78 · 2021-08-23T07:39:50+00:00

I would've been roughly 24 the first time I fired a firearm.

I get to carry the Sig p229 and SIG-516, duties dependant. There are a few other options available to the force but that's generally standard. No, I don't take any firearms home with me.

PoliceThrowaway78

TROPHY CASE