Irish Police Get New Weapons
Posted on Thursday, September 6, 2007They had a policeman on the radio yesterday, about new equipment for the cops.
Newish equipment.
He was talking about the new extensible baton for our cops. That’s right. The same one the rest of the world has had for fifty years, but this is Ireland, the land that proudly boasts an unarmed police force despite having — like all modern European countries — a substantial under-constituency of stupid aggressive savages.
Anyway, that wasn’t really what threw me. It wasn’t the fact that our police force is delighted to have a new and longer baton to batter thugs, when it should simply have guns to shoot the fuckers dead on the spot.
No.
What really shook me was the moment when the police representative started talking about pepper sprays. Mace, I suppose or something similar. (Another piece of equipment that any modern police force should have, but this this is Ireland). It wasn’t the mention of Ireland that made me laugh. It was when he said that research showed the spray was safe for use against asthmatics.
Really?
Safe to use on asthmatics?
You know what, I really would like to see how that research was carried out. What did they do? Did they put an ad in all the papers? Wanted!! Asthma sufferers to get sprayed with potentially lethal poison to find out if you fucking collapse and die!! Good pay. Well, goodish, anyway, but not if you collapse and die. Terms and conditions apply. Thanks.
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September 6th, 2007
They should at least give the gardai tasers if they don’t carry guns.
September 6th, 2007
Give them guns and we’ll have gun crime on the level of the US.
I’d be more worried about tasers then Mace. There’s a pilot scheme with them in the UK, and you know that if the UK adopts them we probably will. Tasers are called non-lethal, but can be lethal to the very young, old, or ill. Someone with a heart problem for example. Buzzzz - and you’re gone.
The only thing I can think of recently that we didn’t adopt straight from the UK was the smoking ban. I said to myself, “Jaysus, do you mean we can think for ourselves?”
September 6th, 2007
Medbh: I think we need a proper police force, properly trained, and we need to give them guns.
Nora: Police throughout Europe are armed and there isn’t the American gun-crime problem. Likewise, and maybe more relevant, it doesn’t exist in Canada, despite their police being armed.
September 7th, 2007
I’ll read up on the European police forces, Bock. I was really more concerned about the Taser thing when I wrote the above.
We do already have Gardaí who are armed. They’re just not in uniform. And after the Jean Charles de Menezes affair in the UK, I have no desire to see more armed officers here. None at all.
September 7th, 2007
Nora: I understand your concern. My own desire would be to have a properly trained, professional, disciplined police force.
September 7th, 2007
Do you think there could be a “a properly trained, professional, disciplined police force” in Ireland?
Theres still that ‘ah, sure it’ll be grand lads, sure lets go have a pint an we’ll forget the whole thing’ attitude in the gardai in rural areas (dunno about Dublin).
September 7th, 2007
Tasers for gardai could be bad, as they can abuse the “non” lethal aspect of it and taser people they don’t like out of spite. There would be no reprise for the victim as the gardai are completely immune from all prosecution
September 7th, 2007
Asthmatics should not be committing crimes, so if they are allergic to pepper, it’s their own sodding fault. Tough on crime, tough on the causes of crime.
September 7th, 2007
Sikhs are forbidden to ingest pepper. Up pepper, vote no to Turbans.
September 8th, 2007
Sheepworrier: Of course. Didn’t they do it in the North?
Niall: Not for the present cops. We need new cops. Professional ones.
Mermaid: True. Those marauding gangs of asthmatics are becoming a big problem in this country, and maybe in britain too.
Sniffle & Cry: That’s a response so bizarre that all I can say is Really?
September 8th, 2007
I’m an asmathic and just one whiff of lavendar can send me into breathing convulsions, I’d hate to think what pepper spray would do to me. You’re right Bock, who did they test this on?