This will not go well.
According to the Indie...
Mr Hammond said: "The Government has been considering the resilience of the overall police armed capability and has concluded that it would be beneficial to enhance this by providing the BTP with an armed capability of its own.
"The timing of this is not as a result of any specific threat: it is a sensible and pragmatic approach to ensuring that our police forces have the right resources to be able to respond as and when needed to protect the public."
He went on: "We will continue to work with the BTP and others to assess the use of this capability and its effectiveness and impact"
Perhaps Eye can explain the 'impact' - a relatively small hole resulting in a dramatic adjustment in one's social life.
Lest we forget - a previous deployment of armed officers on the Underground was not exactly a triumph for either policing or innocent Brazilians.
UPDATE: This from The Major...
Arming the BTP does not worry me in the slightest.
However, if they also receive ammunition then I'll admit to some concern.
UPDATE: This from Chionanthus virginicus...
Following the announcement that BTP officers will carry guns, and the previous announcement that BTP will take over control of police helicopters across the UK, (Eye passim) can we expect these machines to be replaced with more "appropriate" equipment?
Almost certainly, as soon as the MoD finishes biking them back from Romania.
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