As an Ex-Pat American that left the USA in 1985, I felt the US was becoming a police state under Ronald Reagan's watch. At that time in my life I had many idealist views on the world and politics, many of which I now feel totally the opposite. I never owned a gun and never wanted one.

The rule of thumb for gun ownership in the USA is, if you aren't going to use it, by that I mean just point it at the bad guy, don't get one. Most people who are killed in their own homes with a gun are victims of their own gun being taken away from them as they stand there with their knees shaking. I used to think the police should be disarmed like in Britain or New Zealand, at the time. I also didn't believe in the death penalty in those days.

After moving to New Zealand where the Police didn't carry firearms it didn't take long to see how restricted their ability to rapidly respond to serious crimes was. The red tape to get permission to go after an armed offender was a bad joke. Thursday Late Night shopping was popular back then and the shopping precincts were filled with people. The streets were also places for some of the most criminal looking nasties I had ever seen, milling around together in uncomfortable numbers that appeared to be looking for an easy target to rob. I remember thinking "in Los Angeles these people would be slammed against a wall, searched and most likely arrested on suspicion, just to get them off the street." I actually felt very nervous for the first time. Needless to say my attitude toward arming the Police rapidly changed. After moving to Australia, I feel Aus has the right balance.

As for slamming potential bad guys against wall because they look like a criminal, I don't condone it but the potential to get slammed does offer some deterrent. Prevention is the best cure as they say.

Just one more thought.. the weak Judges dishing out a slap on the hand with a wet bus ticket doesn't help. Having repeat offenders with a criminal history as long as their arm, being sent home on bail after being arrested for yet another burglary, assault, theft, driving without a license, etc. just defies logic. This limp approach to Justice is more prevalent in NZ and Australia than the USA where one's criminal history is taken into account.

And Concurrent Sentencing... what kind of stupid idea is that? Commit five different crimes and only serve time for one. And nearly automatic time off one's sentence for Good Behaviour? Shouldn't the good behaviour be something they earn after they are locked up? They have already proved their bad behaviour the reason they are before the Court.

Hi there G'DAY BRUCE...

An interesting topic you've introduced to be sure. Unfortunately some of your assertions are erroneous, and I don't propose to list them ad infinitum herein, as both time and space are substantially limited.

However much of what you say is quite relevant, such as that re-styled and darkened coloured uniforms of police, can prove provocative, with an aura of unapproachability and that's not good practice in my opinion. Successful policing, or interdiction of serious crime, relies substantially on public co-operation, therefore police, so attired who give this ridiculous illusion of being ultra 'uncompromising' and completely inaccessible or remote, can only make the job much much harder.

Concerning carriage of firearms. * ALL * firearms, irrespective of what they are, are carried purely for self-defence, no other reason. That means the protection of the police member himself, or in the defence of another third person, and that person must be in immediate danger of serious injury or death. It should be further noted - That danger must be 'real' and 'impending', not doubtful or remote.

Isn't the darker gear for operations? Pale blue shirts otherwise I thought.

Hasbeen as a gun toting cowboy, have you shot yourself in the foot yet,,, literally,,, because you do it often enough figuratively on this forum. Imagine living next door to the gun haqppy Hasbeen clan,wow it would be the like living between the Hatfields and Mccoys, if old Grandpar Hasbeen don't get ya, they have trained up the littlest Hasbeen to do the deed for them.

<<At 20 the country was supplying me with an aircraft carrying both machine guns, & rockets. I wonder if that qualifies me to be considered safe with a pea shooter?>> Safe you, Hasbeen, safe! wouldn't trust you with a water pistol, you would do yourself an injury. I can just picture 'Snoopy' Hasbeen in his Sopwith Camel, in a dog fight with the Red Barron, machine guns a blazen! and don't forget the rockets! LOL.

o sung wu,
I am afraid ol' mate you are preaching to a bunch of brick walls. The only time these people want to see a gun is the same time they want to see a policeman and that is when they need protection from a social predator.
Most of them couldn't raise a fist to protect themselves.
I attended a sunset service today for what used to be Long Tan Day and now id Vietnam Vets day and looking around at the aging warriors there I couldn't help wondering if they ever held a gun since the war. I recon not and there would be no desire to.
Unfortunately with the import culture our governments have allowed into the country in recent years gun use and violence was inevitable.