# Piers Morgan on Colbert said the British Cops did not carry guns? **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [January 17, 2013, 3:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/piers-morgan-on-colbert-said-the-british-cops-did-not-carry-guns/647514 "2013-01-17T15:24:01Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Ravenman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ravenman/32/2929_2.png) [@Ravenman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ravenman)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2013, 6:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/piers-morgan-on-colbert-said-the-british-cops-did-not-carry-guns/647514/21 "2013-01-17T18:12:04Z")
> [@QuickSilver](#): > > Are you suggesting the US military leadership is planning a coup? I think she means that Obama is planning Carnival. Either that or I’m still thinking about my last post. ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2013, 6:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/piers-morgan-on-colbert-said-the-british-cops-did-not-carry-guns/647514/22 "2013-01-17T18:18:40Z")
No, she’s saying the British police are planning a military coup in Brazil. Gosh, I can’t believe you guys don’t understand plain English. ---
**Author:** ![DrFidelius](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/drfidelius/32/3447_2.png) [@DrFidelius](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrFidelius)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2013, 6:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/piers-morgan-on-colbert-said-the-british-cops-did-not-carry-guns/647514/23 "2013-01-17T18:20:01Z")
They might be waxing wroth. ---
**Author:** ![Llama\_Llogophile](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/49beb7/32.png) [@Llama\_Llogophile](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Llama_Llogophile)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2013, 6:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/piers-morgan-on-colbert-said-the-british-cops-did-not-carry-guns/647514/24 "2013-01-17T18:37:11Z")
> [@glaeken](#): > > A good article on the subject. > > [Why British police don’t have guns - BBC News](http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-19641398) This article pretty much verifies what I found out during a few visits to the UK. I spoke with a few police officers and they all said they didn’t want to be armed, largely because they felt it would make them a target. But they also talked about how they wanted to be approachable and didn’t want people to be afraid of them. One pointed out that they didn’t even carry a visible nightstick, but rather a small truncheon that fits in a pocket. When I asked what happens when a situation develops that requires an armed response, they talked about the weapons unit mentioned in the article. I sort of wrinkled my brow at this, asking how quickly they could call them out in an emergency. The officer said they think of it differently because there are very few times that’s necessary. He said that criminals in the UK don’t typically create situations like that because it’s not necessary. They’d just as soon rob a store with a hammer because they know the police aren’t going to be there shooting at him in the next minute. So the criminals don’t use guns, which means the police don’t think in terms of split second responses with lethal force like we Americans do. ---
**Author:** ![Slithy\_Tove](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/slithy_tove/32/18248_2.png) [@Slithy\_Tove](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Slithy_Tove)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2013, 6:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/piers-morgan-on-colbert-said-the-british-cops-did-not-carry-guns/647514/25 "2013-01-17T18:45:42Z")
> [@TriPolar](#): > > All the assault rifles you can buy doesn’t give you a snowball’s chance of holding off the government that is so much better armed than you are. Cops can be assholes, but you’re better of with a good lawyer than a good gun. Cite: Randy Weaver. ---
**Author:** ![Asympotically\_fat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e47c2d/32.png) [@Asympotically\_fat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Asympotically_fat)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2013, 7:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/piers-morgan-on-colbert-said-the-british-cops-did-not-carry-guns/647514/26 "2013-01-17T19:44:55Z")
> [@DrFidelius](#): > > “Not generally carrying guns while on duty” is not the same as “will not be issued guns pretty damn fast if the situation warrants it.” The vast majority of cops in the UK won’t be issued guns whatever the situation, the UK police don’t have anywhere near enough guns to do that and the vast majority of cops (more than 95% in England and Wales) aren’t trained to use firearms. The truth is, in places where there aren’t many guns, guns aren’t needed to enforce the law. ---
**Author:** ![Peremensoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ce7236/32.png) [@Peremensoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Peremensoe)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2013, 7:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/piers-morgan-on-colbert-said-the-british-cops-did-not-carry-guns/647514/27 "2013-01-17T19:56:37Z")
> [@Alessan](#): > > I miss the days when American Exceptionalism meant that America was \*better \*than other countries. It would require a very particularized viewpoint to think that America has ever been better than other countries _in all ways_. ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2013, 8:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/piers-morgan-on-colbert-said-the-british-cops-did-not-carry-guns/647514/28 "2013-01-17T20:31:21Z")
> [@Alessan](#): > > I miss the days when American Exceptionalism meant that America was \*better \*than other countries. Yeah, well that was before all those foreigners started flooding in! ---
**Author:** ![Saint\_Cad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/saint_cad/32/18907_2.png) [@Saint\_Cad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Saint_Cad)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2013, 8:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/piers-morgan-on-colbert-said-the-british-cops-did-not-carry-guns/647514/29 "2013-01-17T20:55:55Z")
> [@Ravenman](#): > > I think she means that Obama is planning Carnival. They have Carnivale in Kenya? ---
**Author:** ![Voyager](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/voyager/32/133_2.png) [@Voyager](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Voyager)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2013, 9:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/piers-morgan-on-colbert-said-the-british-cops-did-not-carry-guns/647514/30 "2013-01-17T21:03:52Z")
> [@DrFidelius](#): > > They might be waxing wroth. Really? Maybe they should let Roth wax the Brazilians for a while. Never mind - I volunteer. ---
**Author:** ![Voyager](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/voyager/32/133_2.png) [@Voyager](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Voyager)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2013, 9:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/piers-morgan-on-colbert-said-the-british-cops-did-not-carry-guns/647514/31 "2013-01-17T21:05:30Z")
> [@Slithy\_Tove](#): > > Cops can be assholes, but you’re better of with a good lawyer than a good gun. > > Cite: Randy Weaver. Yeah, having a gun in a confrontation with a cop is often an excellent way of avoiding jail - by being dead. Many people shot who didn’t have guns were shot by cops who thought they did - fewer guns would result in fewer accidents. ---
**Author:** ![Condescending\_Robot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/a183cd/32.png) [@Condescending\_Robot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Condescending_Robot)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2013, 11:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/piers-morgan-on-colbert-said-the-british-cops-did-not-carry-guns/647514/32 "2013-01-17T23:56:03Z")
Some British cops have guns, but most don’t. Some British people have guns, but most don’t (he said “none” do). Murder is low in Britain compared to the US, but not really lower compared to before they implemented the current handgun restrictions. Overall crime is very high, and it’s at least a fair question to ask if that’s connected to the criminal’s assurance that his target won’t be armed. Those are just some of the things that Morgan got wrong in his Colbert appearance. It’s not going to go well for the pro-gun-confiscation folks to adapt Piers Morgan as their idol just because he yelled over some people on his talk show; he’s had a well-deserved reputation as a large idiot for quite some time before anyone knew what he thought about guns. ---
**Author:** ![Asympotically\_fat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e47c2d/32.png) [@Asympotically\_fat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Asympotically_fat)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2013, 12:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/piers-morgan-on-colbert-said-the-british-cops-did-not-carry-guns/647514/33 "2013-01-18T00:42:49Z")
> [@Condescending\_Robot](#): > > Some British cops have guns, but most don’t. Some British people have guns, but most don’t (he said “none” do). Murder is low in Britain compared to the US, but not really lower compared to before they implemented the current handgun restrictions. Overall crime is very high, and it’s at least a fair question to ask if that’s connected to the criminal’s assurance that his target won’t be armed. Those are just some of the things that Morgan got wrong in his Colbert appearance. It’s not going to go well for the pro-gun-confiscation folks to adapt Piers Morgan as their idol just because he yelled over some people on his talk show; he’s had a well-deserved reputation as a large idiot for quite some time before anyone knew what he thought about guns. Violent crime and crime in general in the UK is roughly comparable with the US, but the murder rate is much lower and the difference is we don’t have guns. One of the main reasons that popular opinion in the UK is vastly in favour of gun control is because we look at the USA and we don’t want the huge numbers of firearm-related deaths Guns are very difficult to get hold of in the UK. To get hold of a handgun legally, well you can just forget it. Shotguns, you need a reason to have one and the licences are tightly controlled by the police. Obtaining a firearm illegally is also very difficult as you would have to have very serious criminal connections to even have access to the illegal market. Due to the rarity of handguns in the UK an illegal handguns are very costly and often poor quality (many being converted replica weapons). Since the more tight gun controls in the UK were brought in. The murder rate in the UK plateaued, rose sharply for a short time (thanks to a large number of homicides being recorded due to Harold Shipman) and then started to fall rapidly. Gun ownership was rare in he UK before the laws were tightened though. Remote farmhouses in the UK are one of the few places where it is fairly normal for the owners to possess guns, they are also one of the most likely places to be subject to burglaries. Though several burglars have been shot trying to burgle such places, criminals pick on such places as they are less likely to be caught by the police. ---
**Author:** ![Musicat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/musicat/32/20189_2.png) [@Musicat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Musicat)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2013, 12:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/piers-morgan-on-colbert-said-the-british-cops-did-not-carry-guns/647514/34 "2013-01-18T00:49:58Z")
> [@Stoneburg](#): > > Yeah I never understood the idea of having guns to defend yourself against representatives of your own government. You live in a democracy, the police and military are on your side. In fact, they work for you. If you lived in Somalia it would make more sense. The ghost of 1776 often rears its ugly head. It’s dead, but not gone from memory. ---
**Author:** ![Dave\_Hartwick](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/7feea3/32.png) [@Dave\_Hartwick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dave_Hartwick)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2013, 12:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/piers-morgan-on-colbert-said-the-british-cops-did-not-carry-guns/647514/35 "2013-01-18T00:54:31Z")
> [@Asympotically\_fat](#): > > Remote farmhouses in the UK are one of the few places where it is fairly normal for the owners to possess guns, they are also one of the most likely places to be subject to burglaries. Though several burglars have been shot trying to burgle such places, criminals pick on such places as they are less likely to be caught by the police. I’ve read that farms in New South Wales are sometimes targeted for burglary because they’re more likely to have guns. Are UK burglary rates with a demographic split available that supports the statement that remote farmhouses (which are likely to contain guns) are robbed more often than, say, rural businesses or residences? ---
**Author:** ![Condescending\_Robot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/a183cd/32.png) [@Condescending\_Robot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Condescending_Robot)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2013, 1:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/piers-morgan-on-colbert-said-the-british-cops-did-not-carry-guns/647514/36 "2013-01-18T01:41:27Z")
> [@Asympotically\_fat](#): > > Violent crime and crime in general in the UK is roughly comparable with the US This is simply bullshit. The UK had 2034 violent crimes per 100,000 residents last year. The US had 403 in the last year reported. [FBI — Table 1](http://www.fbi.gov/about-us/cjis/ucr/crime-in-the-u.s/2010/crime-in-the-u.s.-2010/tables/10tbl01.xls) and infinity other sources. ---
**Author:** ![Shirley\_Ujest](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/45deac/32.png) [@Shirley\_Ujest](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shirley_Ujest)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2013, 1:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/piers-morgan-on-colbert-said-the-british-cops-did-not-carry-guns/647514/37 "2013-01-18T01:49:56Z")
We were visiting a friend in England and met a local police officer, who looked like a mild mannered accountant . I asked him, " What do you guys do when you have a hostage situation or some guy shoots up a restaurant and is still inside?" His reply was, " We call the officer who has the rifle (or gun, don’t remember) to come to the scene." " Ahhhh, what if he is on vacation or something?" " An officer will come from another district/city/whatever." My husband and I just looked at each other in disbelief. I am not a gun nut, but not having the cops armed is a bit offsetting. ---
**Author:** ![Namkcalb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/c89c15/32.png) [@Namkcalb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Namkcalb)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2013, 2:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/piers-morgan-on-colbert-said-the-british-cops-did-not-carry-guns/647514/38 "2013-01-18T02:14:58Z")
> [@Shirley\_Ujest](#): > > I am not a gun nut, but not having the cops armed is a bit offsetting. On the other hand, all armed police officers regularly train with them. It’s kind of like all our armed policeofficers are equivelent to SWAT police. Would you send a few regular street ‘cops’ to deal with a hostage situation? An armed robbery? In both countries, in the situations where guns are crucial, they send in the experts. ---
**Author:** ![Musicat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/musicat/32/20189_2.png) [@Musicat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Musicat)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2013, 2:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/piers-morgan-on-colbert-said-the-british-cops-did-not-carry-guns/647514/39 "2013-01-18T02:25:49Z")
> [@Namkcalb](#): > > An armed robbery? > > In both countries, in the situations where guns are crucial, they send in the experts. “Uh, pardon me, Sir Burglar, but could you just dally a little? I have to call in an expert with a gun to dispose of you. I won’t be a minute. Would you like a nice cup of tea while we wait? Lemon or sugar?” ---
**Author:** ![sisu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/df705f/32.png) [@sisu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sisu)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2013, 2:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/piers-morgan-on-colbert-said-the-british-cops-did-not-carry-guns/647514/40 "2013-01-18T02:48:56Z")
> [@Dave\_Hartwick](#): > > I’ve read that farms in New South Wales are sometimes targeted for burglary because they’re more likely to have guns. Are UK burglary rates with a demographic split available that supports the statement that remote farmhouses (which are likely to contain guns) are robbed more often than, say, rural businesses or residences? FYI New South Wales in Australia. You are right that farm houses are sometimes targeted to get guns, we also have a problem in that some 1%ers seem to have got a list of gun club members and were going to use this to get some guns. But to be honest gun theft is very very small in Australia. In Australia all cops carry guns but we also have low gun crime. The idea of a cop not carrying a gun seems strange to me, but hey them poms are a weird mob. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/piers-morgan-on-colbert-said-the-british-cops-did-not-carry-guns/647514.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/piers-morgan-on-colbert-said-the-british-cops-did-not-carry-guns/647514.md?page=3)