Police firearm use by country
[1][2] A survey conducted in Great Britain in 2004 found that 47% of citizens supported arming all police while 48% were opposed to the idea.
[4] A 2013 review by the Australian Institute of Criminology found that 42% of victims of fatal police shootings had a mental illness.
Additionally, every police district have specially trained "Reaktionspatruljer" deployed round the clock, carrying the 5.56 × 45 mm NATO GV M/10.
[13] Police in Finland have access to weapons including a Glock 17, Heckler & Koch MP5, Taser and pepper spray.
[15] An independent group A Toutes Les Victimes has tracked the number of deaths and injuries by police which have been published in the media since 2005.
In 2021 the National Assembly passed Article 25, allowing French police officers to carry service firearms while off-duty, though their use remains strictly limited to defense of self and others.
Police firearm statistics dating back to 1984 are available,[18] a summary of recent years is tabulated below.
An elite national Emergency Response Unit exists that is trained in hostage rescue tactics.
The main service firearm used by Jamaican police, particularly the Jamaica Constabulary Force has changed over time.
In recent years, the JCF has predominantly employed the Glock 17 as its regular service pistol.
Constables assigned to the Specialized Operations Branch (Jamaican equivalent of a SWAT team) have been seen carrying M16 and M4 carbine assault rifles.
From 1983 to 2000 the Jamaican police force has been reported to kill between 121 and 355 people each year with an average of 171 deaths.
[21] A subsequent report by Amnesty USA shows that from 1998 to 2015 between 101 and 307 people were killed each year with an average of 192 deaths.
[23] A summary of recent years is tabulated below: Uniformed officers carry firearms, typically the New Nambu M60 revolver while on duty only.
Security Police and Special Assault Team carry semi-automatic pistols and heavier submachine guns and rifles depending on the situation.
Under normal circumstances, police in New Zealand carry pepper spray, batons, and Tasers, though all are trained with the Glock 17 pistol and Bushmaster M4 semi-automatic rifle.
There are times when due to a credible threat, New Zealand's 12 district police commanders have the authority to arm all of their frontline officers.
[35][36] Generally, Russian police forces carry firearms and are armed with pistols at a minimum.
[citation needed] Police forces in the United Kingdom are managed by different bodies but their use of firearms is governed by the UK Home Office.
A 2006 poll of 47,328 members of the Police Federation of England and Wales found that 82% do not want officers to be routinely armed while on duty.
[51] Generally, all law enforcement officers in the United States carry firearms and are armed with pistols at a minimum.
In 2015 NYPD reported a record low of eight deaths as well as fifteen injuries caused by police firearms discharge.
[52] The Federal Bureau of Investigation publish the number of "justified" homicides by law enforcement.
Similarly, the British newspaper The Guardian launched "The Counted" – a program to record the number of fatal police shootings throughout the United States.
