Four people–including a London police officer–were killed, and more than 20 people injured outside the Parliament building on Wednesday…
On Wednesday, the United Kingdom played host to an act of terrorism. We will learn more as details come in. But the fact is London was attacked.
Preliminary numbers report at least four people were killed, one being an unarmed police officer who had limited means of defending himself from the attacker and was stabbed to death. Two other officers were injured. The attacker drove a gray Hyundai i40 across Westminster Bridge and purposely ran over dozens of pedestrians before crashing into railings near Parliament. He then exited the car and ran through the gates of the Palace of Westminster.
As the attacker ran onto the courtyard of the British House of Parliament, he attacked one police officer and stabbed him as other officers were able to avoid the knife-wielding suspect. As he approached another officer, armed police from inside the building engaged the man and shot him. Police in London are now looking for a possible second suspect but haven’t commented on the finality of the situation.
The Prime Minister’s security team quickly removed her from the area, and PM Theresa May was taken to #10 Downing Street, where she continued to monitor the situation.
The threat level for international terrorism in the U.K. was already listed at severe, their second-highest rating. Wednesday was the anniversary of suicide bombings in the Brussels airport and subway that killed 32 people, and the latest events echoed recent vehicle attacks in Germany and France.
As noted previously, the police officer killed was unarmed. Only five percent of police officers in Britain carry weapons. Other countries who have adopted similar policies include:
United Kingdom
English “Bobbies” are firearm-free. If a situation requires the threat of deadly force, police in Great Britain and Northern Ireland can call on the assistance of Authorized Firearms Officers to respond.
Norway
Norwegian police maintain their weapons unloaded and sealed in their patrol cars or locked up at a station armory. In the event a situation calls for the use of them by the police, officers must receive authorization from their chief to deploy them.
Ireland
In the Republic of Ireland, uniformed members of the police force – An Garda Síochána (Guardians of the Peace) – do not carry firearms at all, nor are they authorized to use them.
Iceland
Icelandic police do not carry firearms with them and few carry them in their patrol cars. Like many other similarly equipped agencies, special response units are available if the use of firearms is warranted.
New Zealand
New Zealand patrol officers don’t wear guns on their hips, and most don’t carry them in their cars. Instead, a special Armed Offender Unit is available to respond to incidents which may require the use of firearms.
Following incidents such as this, I always find myself asking why were the police not armed. Why put officers at such risk? Why put the public at such risk? I have to believe, based on my 30 years of law enforcement experience, that if the officer was armed, he may have had a better chance of survival.
Jon Harris is an OpsLens contributor and former Army NCO, civilian law enforcement officer, and defense contractor with over 30 years in the law enforcement community. He holds a B.S. in Government and Politics and an M.S. in Criminal Justice.
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