I conceded to Martin that I had a knee jerk rant. You have my sympathy for a poor response from the police and I agree that it is not good enough.

However, having experienced poor service once myself, I wouldn't like to see good officers and staff who go the extra mile suffer at the hands of cuts. For every poor officer or poor service provided, there are dozens of good. There is a lot more accountability and repercussions these days.

In light of the recent Paris attacks, we need as many police officers out there as possible and in my opinion, all regular officers should and probably will be armed with a taser. At the moment, just armed response and roads policing have tasers. The government has seen sense at the 11th hour it seems and will not make further cuts to the already drastically underfunded forces. LL.B (Hons) - University of Derby
LOT (Lord of Time) - University of Gallifrey

I wouldn't worry about it The Doctor. I used to go on a Leeds United fans (yes there are some before you say anything) forum and your comments are more akin to Henry Kissinger than ones posted on there.

As for cuts I am concerned how much the armed forces are being pruned back but I do think with regards to the police there is a big need, as well as to invest more in the anti terrorists team, to re-align grass routes policing to what joe public actually want. And if that means arming them well fine but I know I'd feel happier if I saw them walking around more, especially in town centres rather than use the specials.

A topic relevant on here - speed cameras. Use them for what they are intended - to reduce fatalities in accident black spots and not as a revenue earner.

What really worries me is the legacy of debt we are building up for our children to carry. The cries of "Austerity" and "Savage cuts" have quite masked the fact that government spending is still building up debt. The annual interest repayments are now the size of a substantial government department and if (when?) interest rates rise this will further cripple our national finances. Balance of payments continues to be a huge minus figure and we can't seem to manufacture things any more.

This year, the start of a conservative government term, should have produced a budget plan to reduce the size of the state, cut taxes to stimulate growth and ignore the false squeals of anguish from left-wing economic illiterates. Osborne and our once-great country will live to regret this missed opportunity. Ours - 2008 Stornoway Grey HSE Auto
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The idea of using police against heavily armed terrorists does not appeal to me, that is best left to those who are trained to kill without thinking, rather than as to whether they are correct to fire and will they face an inquiry in the post mortem from the press and anti war politicians. Anti terrorist service personnel have very senior officers to protect them in the aftermath rather than politically inclined Chief Constables or Police Commissioners. my PC is slightly to the right of Genghis
2012 HSE SD4 In Orkney Grey now gone, best car ever.

Dartman. Who do you think is trained to kill without thinking? Do you think the Armed Forces have a licence to kill anybody they want? When I was in the Forces we had rules of engagement that we had to follow before we could open fire. In this country if I opened fire in the course of my duty I could be expect to be arrested and full statements to be taken in the presence of a solicitor. I have no doubt that every action would be examined in minute detail.

I doubt you meant it the way I read it, but to imply that the armed forces are just unthinking killers is offensive.

The armed response police are fully trained and backed up by their superiors. The due process that you see in the press would be carried out, whether it was police or armed forces who shot somebody.

GSKM, I fully understand the rules of engagement, The ARP arrive on the scene under their Rules. one being a warning. If and when the forces are called in the rules have been decided. I don't believe there was a warning at the Iranian embassy siege or the Gibraltar incident, the government of day made the decision and stood by it, I would expect the same with this government.
The fact they are trained to kill without thinking, does not mean they may have problems later, however to survive in a war zone it is a must, an unfortunate fact but it helps the survival of the serviceman in those situations. my PC is slightly to the right of Genghis
2012 HSE SD4 In Orkney Grey now gone, best car ever.

Unfortunately I don't think that there are enough special forces to have sat around each city waiting for a possible attack, I would rather them, than a police officer with his single shot rifle or truncheon and a can of gas Former Mod/Member, with the most post & Chicken George Arch nemesis