ANYONE who pulls a knife in public should expect to be shot, a leading police figure says.
The Scottish Police Federation, which represents 98 per cent of officers north of the border, wants to increase their access to firearms.
General secretary David Kennedy says all police cars should carry guns to use in the event of a threat to life.
Referring to rampant knife crime and the threat to officers and members of the public, Mr Kennedy said: “If you walk out into the street in Scotland with a knife, you should expect to be shot by police.”
He added every officer in Scotland would suffer post-traumatic stress disorder at some point in their career owing to the violence they face.
“Police in Scotland are being emotionally and psychologically battered every day.
REAL-LIFE ROBOCOP
Robots who can survive gunshots could be fighting crime within two years
DEAFENING SILENCE
Ghislaine Maxwell ‘to stay SILENT’ as she faces crunch Epstein hearing
He added: “Each area of Scotland should have a minimum safe staffing level but that doesn’t exist, and the operation base levels that were in place – they are not being met.
“There is a fear that letting the public know how many actual police officers there are working through the night will cause fear.”
He warned: “Policing is in crisis, and the officers trying their hardest to provide a service to their communities are being broken in the process.”
The SPF is also calling for a return to local policing, with old-style bobbies on the beat.
Additionally, the organisation wants to bring back the involvement of local councillors in policing so communities have greater accountability.
Read the full article here