When did we give the police permission to patrol our communities while armed?

In a little-noticed move, a small number of police officers are now routinely carrying sidearms while on patrol in parts of the mainland UK. How did this come about, and does it alter the relationship between the constabulary and the public?

Saturday night in Inverness. Outside a McDonald's restaurant, a scuffle between two men breaks out. Three police officers arrive to intervene. So far, so mundane.

Except that strapped around the hips of each of the policemen approaching the brawl is a holstered Glock 17 semi-automatic pistol.

It's a sight that once would have been unthinkable. In this corner of the Scottish Highlands - an area with one of the lowest crime rates in the UK - the officers showing up to a relatively workaday disturbance are armed.

 http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-28656324


Critics of armed police reject assurances from MacAskill

ROBBIE DINWOODIE and david ross
Wednesday 6 August 2014

CRITICS of a decision to allow police with guns onto the streets have dismissed assurances by Kenny MacAskill that the number of armed officers on routine patrol will not be allowed to increase.
KENNY MacASKILL: Said only 275 officers were routinely armed.

Opposition MSPs and MPs said they were disappointed after the Justice Secretary told Holyrood that Police Scotland chief constable Sir Stephen House had reassured him a maximum of only 275 officers were deployed at any time.

He said the current figure ­represented less than 1.6 per cent of Scotland's 17,000 officers, and that if it ever routinely rose above 2% the force would have to inform both the Scottish Police Authority (SPA) and the Government.

The controversy erupted after officers were seen on patrol with guns in the Highlands...
Critics of armed police reject assurances from MacAskill

 http://www.heraldscotland.com/politics/wider-political-news/critics-of-armed-police-reject-assurances-from-macaskill.24963075?


CRITICS of a decision to allow police with guns onto the streets have dismissed assurances by Kenny MacAskill that the number of armed officers on routine patrol will not be allowed to increase.
KENNY MacASKILL: Said only 275 officers were routinely armed.

Opposition MSPs and MPs said they were disappointed after the Justice Secretary told Holyrood that Police Scotland chief constable Sir Stephen House had reassured him a maximum of only 275 officers were deployed at any time.

He said the current figure ­represented less than 1.6 per cent of Scotland's 17,000 officers, and that if it ever routinely rose above 2% the force would have to inform both the Scottish Police Authority (SPA) and the Government.

The controversy erupted after officers were seen on patrol with guns in the Highlands

 http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/scottish-news/human-rights-expert-calls-probe-3904577


This certainly has similarities to how the British state have introduced armed force on to members of their population before, in the North of Ireland for those who haven't quite joined the dots yet...