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I don't think this necessarily has to do with weapons. There are ten thousands of armed German police officers who (number went through the press) shot 85 bulle

I don't think this necessarily has to do with weapons. There are ten thousands of armed German police officers who (number went through the press) shot 85 bullets in 2011 and usually do not draw a weapon immediately.

Retric 13y ago
The us has approximately 80 times that many armed police officers. So, if they shot ~7,000 bullets a year they would arguably be showing similar levels of restraint. Unfortunately, it takes less training to become a police officer than a kindergarten teacher in the US so we don't see the same level of restraint. IMO we would be better served by a smaller but better trained force unfortunately the federal, state, and local governments all do law enforcement and at the local level there often seen as a way to generate revenue making them 'free'.
- Uchikoma 13y ago
  Sorry for my typo, I've meant to write tens of thousands of police officers. Would have been funny if Germany has only ten thousands with a population of 80M people. In 2010 there were 243k police officers in Germany. Could not find 2012 numbers.
- flagnog 13y ago
  and to top it all off, you're disqualified from joining the force if you score TOO HIGH on the test - it happened to a good friend of mine. smh.
Nursie 13y ago
That's a very small proportion of the overall police force that carry. It's got to be to do with the attitude around weapons. There are about 7000 armed police in England and Wales. Their weapons are kept in safes in the back of their cars, they need to have a very good reason to be carrying one, let alone actually using one. I think in the UK, despite the police closing ranks when threatened (I don't think we have this as bad as the US either) an officer that drew a weapon on a suspect that they had no reason to think was armed (and was only suspected of underage possession of alcohol) that officer would be subject to some sort of disciplinary action.
- tobiasu 13y ago
  Every German police officer is armed when on duty. Attitudes are different, and the judicial investigation after the use of a weapon is anything but pleasant.
  - Nursie 13y ago
    Ah right, I thought you meant only 10k out of the whole force were armed! Yes, attitudes are different then.

Retric 13y ago

The us has approximately 80 times that many armed police officers. So, if they shot ~7,000 bullets a year they would arguably be showing similar levels of restraint. Unfortunately, it takes less training to become a police officer than a kindergarten teacher in the US so we don't see the same level of restraint. IMO we would be better served by a smaller but better trained force unfortunately the federal, state, and local governments all do law enforcement and at the local level there often seen as a way to generate revenue making them 'free'.

Uchikoma 13y ago
Sorry for my typo, I've meant to write tens of thousands of police officers. Would have been funny if Germany has only ten thousands with a population of 80M people. In 2010 there were 243k police officers in Germany. Could not find 2012 numbers.
flagnog 13y ago
and to top it all off, you're disqualified from joining the force if you score TOO HIGH on the test - it happened to a good friend of mine. smh.

Nursie 13y ago

That's a very small proportion of the overall police force that carry. It's got to be to do with the attitude around weapons. There are about 7000 armed police in England and Wales. Their weapons are kept in safes in the back of their cars, they need to have a very good reason to be carrying one, let alone actually using one. I think in the UK, despite the police closing ranks when threatened (I don't think we have this as bad as the US either) an officer that drew a weapon on a suspect that they had no reason to think was armed (and was only suspected of underage possession of alcohol) that officer would be subject to some sort of disciplinary action.

tobiasu 13y ago
Every German police officer is armed when on duty. Attitudes are different, and the judicial investigation after the use of a weapon is anything but pleasant.
- Nursie 13y ago
  Ah right, I thought you meant only 10k out of the whole force were armed! Yes, attitudes are different then.