2000TLondon

In Texas anyone can take a CHL (concealed handgun licence) class where you have to hit 70% of your shots in a generous target. Assuming you don't have any mental health issues or a criminal past you can then carry a concealed gun on your person, legally, except in certain buildings and whilst intoxicated. This also allows you to carry it in your glovebox or similar places.

In your home, you can legally own pretty much anything, although it's illegal to fire a weapon in the city limits. It is perfectly legal to buy a rifle or shotgun with no checks or cooling off period, and you can carry this in public as long as it is not concealed, obviously common sense dictates and you will encounter problems if you just stand on the street with a shotgun!

Everyone from private security guards to constables, deputies and sherrifs are heavily armed. I know a policeman who carries an M4 assualt rifle in the trunk of his squad car, and protocol is to arm himself with it as often as possible. Approx 25% of officers are trained to carry them here.

I have also seen a policeman who was injured in a chase, just from falling, but he had to hand over his weapons to his supervisor before getting in the ambulance, and it was like watching Tacklebury in Police Academy.

He handed over his sidearm 9mm pistol, two mace sprays, his tazer, four ammo mags, a spectacular fighting knife, a short barrel .45 in the small of his back and a snub nose .38 in an ankle holster! Incredible! And scarily it didn't get much of a reaction from any of the other officers there!!!!

Snazy

As good as correct mate, current policy is NOT to pursue the bike as a bike is vunerable and it could end in a mess with the person running getting injured.... SO! !

As for CO19, FP, is there an "official response time" out of interest? I know Diplomatic Police have something daft like 5 mins.

Snazy

A quote from Jared (a friend of mine) in Apopka regarding weapons issued and carried..
And his weapons of choice in his lil gun roll...

wrx-kris

And just look at all the shootings in America! Mass school shoot ups etc...

In this country you get jailed for having a canof CS gas (mace to you) as even that comes under the firearms act....

Snazy

statistically, given the number of guns and availability out there, its really not that bad.
We have had Dunblane, we have had other shoot ups etc.

Its the more simple things in life that are impacted. Break into someones home, knowing there is a 95% chance of an armed owner being home.... Hold up a convinience store knowing they will shoot you as you run.... Its the "lesser" crimes the right to bare arms has an impact on. And to the other degree, knowing any law enforcement officer, has a firearm, or a number of firearms, and in most cases is not afraid to use them.

Its always gonna be a bone of contention, but at the end of the day, the gun was invented MANY years ago, and in most cultures is available for very little money. The only chance you get to compete on an equal stage, is to arm the people upholding the law.

The problem is, the UK has a very different attitude towards guns, and they are NOT accepted as a household item. In the USA they are, and are treated the same way. No big deal, but there if needed. Not "im broke, lets go hold up the store", "he spat at me, im gonna shoot him"

There have been some tragic events with guns, not only in the USA but worldwide. But guns are banned in this country, yet I saw a man fire and run away with a 9mm handgun only last week.... And sadly, law enforcement had no reply available to deal with him. Officers yes, able to deal, no

I dont think guns are great, it would be a lovely world without them, but the believe that the USA is having an epedemic of shootings is far from the truth.
Brazil, Jamaica, South Africa.... some of the worst issues with guns.