Scotland Yard officers to be asked if they want to carry arms

Scotland Yard officers are to be surveyed on whether they want to carry arms and Taser guns for their safety in light of the heightened terror threat.

The Metropolitan Police Federation (MPF), representing 30,000 police officers in the British capital, said today that the survey was needed because the threats officers face to their personal safety have increased because of terrorism.

The vast majority of British police officers are unarmed, with firearms limited to a small minority with specialist training and who volunteer to carry a gun.

"We're not an armed force, we never have been...But the terrorism threat in London is constant and our officers must be vigilant and be able to deal swiftly with any scenarios we face. We are moving closer towards that by arming 600 more officers and I think it's only fair that we ask our colleagues, who go out there on a daily basis, what they want," said MPF chair Ken Marsh.
 

Officers will also be asked if they wish to carry a Taser, an electronic stun gun used to temporarily incapacitate a suspect.

The questions to be included in the survey include whether they would want to carry a Taser or firearm at all times while on duty; if they think there should be more firearms officers in London; and if the thought of carrying a gun would make them leave the job.

The number of armed police is being increased by 1,500 across the UK as part of an anti-terror security review.

A Metropolitan Police spokesperson said: "The position of the Met and the commissioner is clear. We are proud to maintain the tradition that police in this country are not routinely armed. The routine arming of theMetropolitan Police is not supported.

"About 92 per cent of the service is unarmed and armed policing is delivered by highly trained specialist units. There is no plan to seek to change this.

"Twice in recent years the Met has increased the number of specially trained officers who carry Taser, and this is kept under constant review."

The MPF has said it would make the survey results public when they become available in February.