EndemicEarthling

Research shows the visible presence of long arms in public actually *reduces* both objective and subjective measures of safety.

1. This does not make most people feel more safe.

The visible presence of instruments of death and maiming in a context has measurable and pernicious effects on free speech and even free thought. The visible presence of firearms tends to increase most people's level of stress hormones (adrenaline, cortisol), triggering our fight/flight/freeze response while inhibiting higher order cognitive functions. Even where this effect is mild, across a whole population over time, it makes a cultural difference.

Research also shows people tend to self-censor more while in the presence of firearms, and are less likely to be generous or vulnerable.

#NSWpol #NSWPolice #SecurityTheatre #ChrisMinns

https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2026/feb/25/heavily-armed-nsw-police-to-patrol-places-of-worship-and-protests-after-hate-unit-made-permanent-ntwnfb

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Heavily armed police to patrol places of worship and protests in NSW after hate crime unit made permanent

NSW Greens MLC Sue Higginson says the move could put public at risk of ‘violence, harm and death’

The Guardian
Feb 25 at 4:47amWeb
Show threadEndemicEarthlingFeb 25

2. Police carrying long arms in public places increases everyone's risk of being harmed in public.

Why didn't NSW Police introduce long arms years ago? Because they know that such weapons are statistically more likely to be used against police or the public than they are to be used to mitigate an imminent risk to public safety that cannot be addressed as effectively in any other way. Why is this?

a. Long arms by their nature cannot be holstered, and are inherently easier for an assailant to grab or a thief to steal. Thus, they are always at greater risk of falling into the hands of someone intending violence than a holstered pistol.

b. Unintentional discharges do happen, even amongst trained firearm users. The rate of unintentional discharge is higher when guns are held than when they are holstered. Typical damage from a rifle is considerably more than a handgun.

c. Police officers commit homicides (even outside of their work) at a rate higher than the general public.

d. Officers already holding a firearm are less likely to de-escalate a situation than officers with a holstered weapon.

Given that police have resisted calls to use long arms for many years, knowing that their routine use tends to be counterproductive, it is worth asking why #ChrisMinns is pursuing this.

#NSWpol
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