Senior police officers have spoken out against those calling to arm more police officers after the tragic death of two female officers near Manchester on Tuesday morning.
Police Constables Nicola Hughes and Fiona Bone were called out to a burglary in Tameside shortly before 11am.
In what appears to be an entirely premeditated attack, the two unarmed officers were then attacked with bullets and a hand grenade, dying at the scene.
Shortly after the incident 29-year-old Dale Cregan handed himself in at a police station in Hyde. It has since been revealed that Mr Cregan was at large after being wanted in connection with a double murder which took place earlier this summer.
Mark Short, 23, was gunned down in a pub in May whilst his father David was killed at his home in August. The police have charged a total of six men with the double murders, but were also looking for Cregan and had posters and a large reward to help seek information which could lead to his arrest.
The shocking case has led to calls for police officers in the UK to be routinely armed, as they are in many other European countries.
The husband of murdered police officer Sharon Beshenivsky believes that the incident is another tragic example of why officers attending the scenes of crimes should be better protected by carrying a weapon.
"I think policing, as regarding going to scenes of crimes, should be monitored better, and I think police, in honesty, should be armed, walking into situations that they're not totally aware of," Paul Beshenivsky told ITV news.
However, both the Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg and the president of the Association of Chief Police Officers Sir Hugh Orde believe that such a potential change could cause more harm than good.
"I don't think this is the time to rush to instant judgments," Mr Clegg said.
"I think if we were to arm our police to the teeth so they become separate from the public, that would be quite a big change which would have considerable risks attached to it," he added.
Sources:
Nick Clegg rejects calls for armed police officers after Manchester shootings (The Telegraph)
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