UK Gun injuries soar among police....

no wonder, they are so anti gun there that police training with firearms is about the same as the average 25 year old priarie kid!

"Soar", hehe. Sounds scary, doesn't it? A quick perusal of the numbers kinda allays all fears.

British cops typically do far less time on the range for a number of reasons: the paperwork involved in documenting the ammunition they use on the range, the highly limited availability of ranges and range time, and the aversion of British politicians to firearms and, ergo, firearms training.

British cops are only allowed to do their training on the job whereas American cops (for instance) typically do their range shooting on their own time and with their personal firearms and then all they need to do is qualify annually on their weapons.

The British have always had an institutional aversion to gunnery practice be it in the armed forces or the police forces. I love the SAS guys, but even they get to fire fewer rounds annually than an average Marine Corps rifleman. The sum result is that their gunnery discipline is not as high as that of the US or Canada.

BartSimpson



I would corroberate that.

This is a sad state of affairs when in WW1 the British Army initially was the only combattant that had placed an emphasis on marksmanship. The French, Germans, Austrians and Italians, with the exception of their "tirroliers"(snipers) could not be relied upon to hit the broadside of the barn.

My experience with these matters, was that next to jeep accidents the most casualties occurred on the ranges---carelessness.

"The lesson is that people get injured when there are guns around – even when the gun user is as highly trained and specialist as a police firearms officer."

There's another more glaringly obvious conclusion to be made.

The conclusion is that British cops can't be trusted with guns. Maybe they need to hire some Canadians to patrol their streets for them.

BartSimpson

There's another more glaringly obvious conclusion to be made.
The conclusion is that British cops can't be trusted with guns. Maybe they need to hire some Canadians to patrol their streets for them.
Indeed my instant impression of British armed security was not good. The French and Italian, who although looked a bit "trigger-happy" were not as threatening in my view because they were obviously conscious that they were armed.
I recall some Bulgarian border guards screwing around with PPsh41's , tossing them in the air but at the first indication of trouble they were on the ball and target. They laid their weapons and charged them in one fluid motion.
I could see a Brit cop, with a "hot" smg, walk around all day with it dangling from it's sling.

With a disarmed populace I suppose it's quite easy for the British constabulary to become complacent. But I much agree that their handling of their weapons has much to be deserved.

I was a member of three private gun clubs in Britain. Trap and Skeet, outdoor rifle, indoor pistol.

Approximately 50% of the membership were police. They said it (the club) was the only place they could get some decent practice and training.