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tomalong · July 27, 2007, 08:18 PM

As someone from the UK let me clarify that UK police* are not routinely issued with firearms. Only around 10% of British police are trained and issued firearms. Whilst this figure will be higher for the Met, most officers go about their duties 'unarmed'. In offensive terms British police rely on Batons, ASPs and side handle types, and CS spray**.

For those police that are armed the MP5 is still the predominate choice in 'long arms' but more 5.56mm weapons, mostly the HK G36K and G36C are being deployed.

* The Police Service of Northern Ireland, formerly the Royal Ulster Constabulary, and the UK Atomic Energy Agency Police are however armed. Though all officers of the Ministry of Defence Police are trained in the use of firearms they do not routinely carry them.

** Technically under UK law CS spray is a Section 5 firearm subject to the same restrictions as a machine gun, or pretty much any gun for that matter.

July 27, 2007, 08:18 PM	#43
tomalong Junior Member Join Date: April 17, 2006 Posts: 2	As someone from the UK let me clarify that UK police* are not routinely issued with firearms. Only around 10% of British police are trained and issued firearms. Whilst this figure will be higher for the Met, most officers go about their duties 'unarmed'. In offensive terms British police rely on Batons, ASPs and side handle types, and CS spray*. For those police that are armed the MP5 is still the predominate choice in 'long arms' but more 5.56mm weapons, mostly the HK G36K and G36C are being deployed. The Police Service of Northern Ireland, formerly the Royal Ulster Constabulary, and the UK Atomic Energy Agency Police are however armed. Though all officers of the Ministry of Defence Police are trained in the use of firearms they do not routinely carry them. ** Technically under UK law CS spray is a Section 5 firearm subject to the same restrictions as a machine gun, or pretty much any gun for that matter.