Originally Posted by X5Sport

I think the majority of the English part of the UK are perfectly happy with a Royal Family. On the whole they do us good, but I can't see the relevance to gun control....

The UK does have a problem with knife crime and a much smaller issue with gun crime - because we have banned them from all those other than with a legitimate need. We're not proud of the knife situation and some of it is as a result of parents/schools not being allowed to deal with their kids. This has come under the ridiculously broad 'human rights' legislation - but that's a whole different ballgame, and equally messy!!

In the UK we know that the good guys carrying guns on the streets (ignoring hunters who are usually in the middle of nowhere) are in Uniform or carrying a badge, highly trained, regularly tested under high stress conditions and assessed for their ongoing 'suitability' to carry a gun of any type. If they fail any part, they lose their permits and are off the team. They all know that carrying a firearm is a very serious responsibility and mistakes of any type are not tolerated. A firearms office running amok is likely to be gunned down by one of their own colleagues very quickly (they don't work alone).

In a lot of cases they are only issued with low velocity ammunition and may only draw a weapon under exceptional circumstances, and knowing they will have to fill in all kinds of reports if they do, and if they are wrong and found to be so legally they will be out of that job or jailed. Now like any system it isn't perfect, but it's better than the old less controlled system (the one where innocents died!!). As a former LEO myself, I was in London in the 1980s when guns were more prevalent and we never knew what was behind the next door. I never felt I need to carry a firearm though - EVER. Yes there were instances where I needed to wear a protective vest, but I never got shot at, or stabbed, the jacket was just in case.

Shooting a LEO was (and still is) seen as a major 'do not do' by the criminal fraternity. Only the inner city gangs around today who show precious little respect for anyone or anything are a real issue, and they generally kill each other - with knives. 'Sharps' are something that now also carries a severe penalty - and rightly so as there is no 'need' to carry a knife either.

I believe that most people in the UK would rather have a completely unarmed Police Force, but this is the 21st Century and we have to face unpleasant facts. There are however few shootings, fewer Police or LE shootings and that is a great comfort to most. Zero incidents would be the best, but no system is perfect.

You may not understand the Royal Family, and nor do I expect you to as the US is a Republic, but along with a large part of the UK (and maybe wider?) I do not understand the 'need or right' to bear arms at all times. We used to have much more lax gun laws. People died, innocent people in most cases, and we had the balls to do something about it. It's the lack of action that puzzles me (us) more than anything I guess. I really would like to understand the reasons though. Seriously......