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One of the major differences between the US and UK is that they US Police get all sorts of cast-off gear from the US military, AFAIK the UK Police doesn't get things like APCs and armoured Humvees
branwen-
cast-off gear
And people.
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One of the major differences between the US and UK is that they US Police get all sorts of cast-off gear from the US military, AFAIK the UK Police doesn't get things like APCs and armoured Humvees
Some military equipment was often offered to British police. My dad was a firearms and vehicle testing officer in the 80s and they'd regularly be taken off to test something that was available to them. 9 times out of 10, they had a nice day out and said "No thanks" as it was overkill for the requirements of policing at the time.
I can't locate stats from the 80s onwards but it seems the UK is not currently even at the highest rate of gun crime in the last 10 years, never mind the last 40. Whether that's because armed patrols are suppressing things or because gun crime isn't "that bad"I can't say but policing (like airport security) is a lot about making people feel safer, even if they aren't.
miro_o
atz
Amazing. Shifting ideas and discussion in the mainstream is such an important thing.
Think it was on here someone posted that article about the SWAT raid on the Black Panthers and the militarisation of policing. It seems so much more extreme in the US but I wonder how much it has already happened here by stealth as well. I remember when it was really shocking to see (fire)armed police. Now I feel so desensitised to it.