This report explores the use of lethal force by police in the United Kingdom. Following a discussion on the organization and policies of London's Metropolitan Police, the focus turns to weapons, training, issues in the use of force by police and the controversial question of whether police should be armed. The need for tactical and refresher training for police, and appropriate training for police unit-commanders, to make them aware of the tactical operations available to them, is pointed out. The demand for the greater firepower of self-loading pistols may be reduced if ammunition issued to police officers has greater stopping power. An alternative to ball ammunition is necessary, since ball ammunition poses a danger to innocent citizens when it is used. The most acute dilemma is not faced by policymakers but rather by police officers who must decide whether to draw their weapon, to take aim, or to open fire. Sometimes, police officers have only a second in which to decide whether to fire their guns; if they make the wrong decision, the may be killed, or kill someone else unnecessarily. There is a continual need to balance police operational effectiveness against public acceptability and safety.

This book challenges what are, for many people, deep-rooted expectations regarding the routine arming of police and compares jurisdictions in which police are routinely armed (Toronto, Canada and Brisbane, Australia) and those where police are not routinely armed (Manchester, England and Auckland, New Zealand). With a focus on Western jurisdictions and by examining a range of documentary, media and data sources, this book provides an evidence-based examination of the question: Do police really need guns? This book first provides detailed insight into the armed policing tradition and perceptions/expectations with respect to police and firearms. A range of theoretical concepts regarding policing, state power and the use of force is applied to an examination of what makes the police powerful. This is set against the minimum force tradition, which is typified by policing in England and Wales. Consideration is also given to the role played by key tropes and constructs of popular culture. Drawing on Surette’s model of symbolic reality, the book considers contrasting media traditions and the positioning of firearms within narrative arcs, especially the role of heroes. The book concludes by drawing together the key themes and findings, and considering the viability of retaining and/or moving towards non-routinely armed police.

As the fear of violent crime escalates, there are calls for the police to carry guns. This examination of the history of violent crime and violence against the representatives of law and order looks at the extent to which the "unarmed" British police have had recourse to firearms in the past.

Shooting to Kill? Policing, Firearms and Armed Response explores the dilemma of armed response policing in the UK, and policing in a gun culture. Offers the first critical exploration of the ACPO code of guidance on Police Use of Firearms and other tactical manuals Includes interviews with senior police firearms managers and critical case studies of police firearms incidents Features the first in-depth, academic analysis of the Stockwell shooting incident and the Kratos policy Provides a review of key developments in armed response policing around the world Describes the crucial phases in armed response policy development in Britain and explores the consequences of arming the police

From the École Polytechnique shootings of 1989 to the political controversy surrounding the elimination of the federal long-gun registry, the issue of gun control has been a subject of fierce debate in Canada. But in fact, firearm regulation has been a sharply contested issue in the country since Confederation. Arming and Disarming offers the first comprehensive history of gun control in Canada from the colonial period to the present. In this sweeping, immersive book, R. Blake Brown outlines efforts to regulate the use of guns by young people, punish the misuse of arms, impose licensing regimes, and create firearm registries. Brown also challenges many popular assumptions about Canadian history, suggesting that gun ownership was far from universal during much of the colonial period, and that many nineteenth century lawyers – including John A. Macdonald – believed in a limited right to bear arms. Arming and Disarming provides a careful exploration of how social, economic, cultural, legal, and constitutional concerns shaped gun legislation and its implementation, as well as how these factors defined Canada’s historical and contemporary ‘gun culture.’

Policing and firearms: it is a crucial relationship. Should police be routinely armed? If so, what restrictions should be imposed on the use of firearms? Where police are not routinely armed, there is still a need for specialist armed police: how do these units operate, and are they effective? This ground-breaking edited book explores the nexus between policing and firearms with a genuinely international focus. Contributors from Ireland, Germany, the United Kingdom, Brazil, Mexico, the United States, Venezuela, New Zealand, Australia, and Canada explore the issues from a range of perspectives, including human rights, militarization, police legitimacy, and the risks police firearms pose to the community and to police themselves. This thought-provoking collection is an indispensable resource for law enforcement policymakers and students of policing and criminal justice.

'Shoot To Kill' provides a fresh, accessible and much-needed overview of a controversial topic, especially after the shooting of Jean-Charles De Menezes in 2005.