Author Topic: British Police Officer dies fighting terrorism (Read 640 times)

Tarmac · « **Reply #15 on:** January 15, 2003, 06:56:55 PM »

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Originally posted by Dowding
Tarmac - people are asking just that question, considering raids of this nature in the past have generally been armed.

Sounds like more than just me and Dago are asking that question.

My post was meant more as "an officer is dead, what can we do about it" than a "give everybody mp5s" rallying cry.

K98k · « **Reply #16 on:** January 15, 2003, 07:28:37 PM »

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Well, then where is Weasel suggesting that I could get one to protect myself in the US?

I give up where is he suggesting that?

and no, I didn't miss the hunting rifle bit.

Dago · « **Reply #17 on:** January 15, 2003, 07:37:18 PM »

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But nice of you to score points only 24 hours after his death, in some on-going feud regarding gun ownership, dago.

Your very wrong here Downing. My best friend was a Police Officer killed in the line of duty, and I still mourn his loss. He was a very decent guy, and left behind a wife and three young girls.

I have no animosity toward your country, though I dont really care for Beetle, and I am not in the habit of jumping into the gun debates. You can check all those threads and I dont think you will find me in them, at least none that I recall.

I just do not like to hear someone died if it is the result of a poor decision by those not at risk, like superiors who never leave a desk. I was afraid that might have been the case in London. I will always hold in contempt Bill Clinton and Les Aspin for sending in Army troops to Somalia without proper armor support. Eighteen fine young men died, most of who would have lived if the capture raid they were on had Bradley Fighting vehicles involved.

Dago

Sandman · « **Reply #18 on:** January 15, 2003, 08:14:15 PM »

No offense to the officer or his family, but you gotta love the political nature of this.

If the officer had died while storming the house of some other type of criminal, this would not have made the international press.

Dowding · « **Reply #19 on:** January 16, 2003, 02:32:32 AM »

Dago - then perhaps I got the wrong end of the gun...errr... stick. It just sounded like you were using it as an excuse to score points. My apologies. But the police do have the right to defend themselves, with lethal force if necessary - I thought that was pretty obvious, and therefore your post looked like a troll.

Tarmac - I wasn't accusing you of stirring or anything.

Nuke - see above.

BTW, only one British policeman has been killed in the line of duty from stab wounds in the last five years. The biggest killers are either getting run over, or crashing the pursuit car in a high speed chase.

aztec · « **Reply #20 on:** January 16, 2003, 05:10:28 AM »

In Dagos defense Dowding you seem to be getting a little hysterical about this UK/US thing, which you clearly had reproached Beetle for recently. Your a nice guy Dowding....maybe time to give the benefit of the doubt.

Dowding · « **Reply #21 on:** January 16, 2003, 05:16:57 AM »

Heh, that's probably true also, aztec. I don't feel hysterical though, even if it comes across that way.

Anyway, I have apologised.

H. Godwineson · « **Reply #22 on:** January 16, 2003, 08:13:59 AM »

With the criminal elements in every country becoming every more violent I do not understand a policy that keeps law enforcement officers unarmed. Were none of these officers armed? What is the policy for using deadly force in this type of situation? Was the terrorist killed? Did police policies of non-violent arrest contribute to this situation? None of this makes sense to me. Why did a good man have to die?

Shuckins

lazs2 · « **Reply #23 on:** January 16, 2003, 08:22:40 AM »

A little sensible "knife control" would have worked... say, the ban of all knives with a blade of over 1/32" thick except at "knife clubs". It is a thing that is long overdue in such a civilized country.

curval.. if you wish to take an anti gun stance you should learn all you can about firearms before arguing with people who know a great deal about em... problem is... there is an extreme variety of firearms and uses for them and... by the time you bother to learn about em you will develop a like for em.
lazs

Dowding · « **Reply #24 on:** January 16, 2003, 08:41:29 AM »

Shuckins - I think the problem is that as one of the Special Branch detectives, his job started after the suspects had been arrested and restrained. They had been cooperating peaceably until that point, so I guess it took them completely by surprise. The only answer would be to equip anyone who enters the scene with body armour and keep suspects restrained at all times regardless of behaviour. I think it's also important to remember that these were just suspects - there was no attempt to escape and they going along with the police voluntarily. That must have thrown them off guard.

lazs2 · « **Reply #25 on:** January 16, 2003, 08:45:11 AM »

dowding... I think you have hit the problem.. there should probly be a law that criminals that intend to resist with deadly force must anounce their intentions 24 hrs in advance.
lazs