General Chat

QUITE so DET



Any target shooter is obliged to ensure that his firearm is safe BEFORE leaving the firing point

usually with the breech open and a flag of some sort fitted to the action to PROVE that the firearm is safe........Any one not doing so CAN be banned from the sport.

Any one demonstrating a firearm is obliged to PROVE it is safe ..

And it really is of no difference if the police visited a school, or vice versa
SAFETY is the prime objective.....

the police insist on describing our shooting equipment as a WEAPON, we use it as a tool,

it appears that the term WEAPON should only be applied when the firearm is in police hands...

Apparently the gun,,,,,,,ejects spent casing from the side so its quite easy to imagine how the casing could have traveled and hit the young child,,,,,why show any child a gun in the first place is beyond me,,,,,,,,this part of policing isnt for exposure to children and especially one as young as 4.!

Just to make things clear - the children were visiting the Police HQ, not the other way round

"Young winners of a colouring competition see police officer accidentally fire weapon into the ground during school visit to police HQ"

Link to the Daily Telegraph
http://tiny.cc/xa4zox

Although I don't know anything about guns, aren't responsible and authourised users supposed to ensure that it is completely safe before educational demonstrations?

I went to give a witness statement on a racial abuse incident. The policeman on duty tried to ignore me. Fortunately the community policeman for the area arrived, recognised me, and insisted PC 'I'm a big man' took my statement. Not very impressed.

I'm also afraid a community policeman, cycling in the Cathedral grounds, trying to talk on his phone. and totally disregarding pedestrians got the sharp edge of my tongue. :-|

Oh, and the time I had a shotgun spray through my window.
I'd seen the lad showing the gun off to some girls. Then the pr*tt hit the trigger - it wasn't personal, I didn't know him.
Got the police out for the insurance. One moron asked me who's husband I'd been sh*gging. I VERY politely suggested he leave my house immediately. I wish I'd followed it up with an official complaint, but it was my word against a pr*t tin a uniform.

On the whole though, most policemen are okay.

I reckon its like when I was at school, with the road safety lot coming round the schools.......only now its more terrorist orientated ....

when I was a youngster a cop had a whistle and a truncheon(hidden in his trousers)
you could ask a policeman the time,and he would tell you with a smile..... or he would clip you round the ear if you were naughty enough to deserve it......
these days with armed policemen on the streets they are still trying to come across to children as a friendly person,
but to me body armour and all the bits n bobs on their belt, they are intimidating......they are losing the support of the public.....(in my opinion) and are trying to get some street cred with the youngsters........
Bob

What ever possesses anyone to expose young children to firearms in the first place,,,,,,,, Mad........!

I agree with you Guinevere, policing has changed so much. I initially joined in 1977 when it was a disciplined service, sadly a lot of that has gone too. Initial training has also changed, no having to learn the definitions of offences parrot fashion and fully understanding the meaning of the offence these days.

Yes there are a few that are dishonest, but I can honestly say that the investigation is even more thorough when carried out by the Complaints and Discipline dept when serving officers are involved. No one hates a bent copper more than decent officers. I've been retired 6 years and I've been quite shocked at just how many officers from my own division have been sacked since I left, good riddance too.

Far too many also have the wrong attitude, they put their uniform on and the power goes to their head.

Chris

That's exactly it, Chrissie. I have met a handful, like yourself, who I would trust absolutely, including a good friend. He wasn't much impressed with a lot of those serving under him, hence his early retirement.

Policing has changed since the 50s and 60s but a lot of the old lazy habits remain for some. Police officers today need a higher standard of education because of the challenges they face with new legislation. When I was teaching many that I met didn't understand the law they were supposed to be upholding. I wish that wasn't the case but it was.

And a very few are dishonest. They used to be able to get away with it but in these days of CCTV and recorded interviews they can't.

I was going to post that I wasn't totally offended by Guinevere's post as the words 'average' and 'most' were used.

I'm a retired officer who is actually quite bright and can be trusted totally. I think it's an absolute disgrace that these incidents have occurred and there should be serious repercussions for those involved. It was just the same when a dog handler left his dog in his police vehicle at headquarters on a very hot day and the dog died as a result. I have no doubt that the punishment given was far less than had it been an ordinary member of the public.

I just think it's such a shame that the majority of officers get tarred with the same brush when this sort of thing happens as there are so many excellent hard working officers out there.

Chris

I said in my experience "the average policeperson" isn't very bright, Dermot, it's the truth. I've met quite a few in the course of my work and, in general, that's what I've found.

And recent newspaper reports seem to bear that out.

And it still isn't your place to tell me what and how to post.

Guinevere - I just felt that your earlier posting was a bit hurtful, harsh & demeaning - giving the impression that none were very 'bright'.

That being so, it was an unfair slur on a generally competent force - as far as I have knowledge of its staff & officers’ capability.

I respect the police who behave appropriately and disrespect those who don't. Of which there are far too many.

And I don't need lessons on what I can post.

Trouble is Dermot its the careless ones that get the attention when things go wrong.....but live firearms ,"cs" type spray alternatives,and children don't mix........allegedly, they let the children handle these "toys"

remember the poor kid in the states, the instructor, and the uzzi

Ahem! A few posters need to take a lesson on how to make a point without being disrespectful to the whole police force.

Oh don't worry they are all trained to the highest standard and all sorts of safety checks are in place! Just like the coppers using their personal radio in the fly on the wall programmes while in pursuit, too dangerous for a motorist to use it while stuck in traffic, but OK for the officer clocking 70 through a built up area ;-)

Do as I say not as I do :-P

No doubt the "Lessons will be Learnt" will be canted out again as per. The mind Boggles at it Incompetance of these people.

there was a period when our local range was going to be used by these type of experts,

I said to someone in the know,
when they are here, would it be exclusive use? or can we observe them in action......?

..
the reply was not as you would think "no its secret"............ but on the lines of " I wouldn't want to be within a mile of 'em!!"

In my experience the average policeperson isn't awfully bright. I wouldn't trust most of them with a peashooter.

Always the way!

One law for some..............