Liam 
I went to a basketball match yesterday which was on near the Easter Show. Outside the station there were little knots of police just standing around carrying automatic rifles, which did not only make me feel less safe, obviously, it made me think how fundamentally a social breach it is to display such things
Deborah Pickett@liamvhogan I recall when there was discussion in the 1990s about officers carrying their service pistols in public. Seeing a cop with a holstered gun in the supermarket still gives me the willies.
Alex@rtnVFRmedia Suffolk UK@futzle @liamvhogan it is relatively rare to see armed police here unless there's been a major incident (they were and possibly still are a common sight at airports and transport hubs since the 2000s as a consequence of various terrorist attacks in the UK)
D Ingram@vfrmedia @futzle @liamvhogan Same with NZ. Cops have pistols at airports (I think it's in a treaty or something) but not on the street or transport. But when firearms are needed they tend to go straight for the long arms. If it's bad enough to be armed then they don't muck around with pistols. Rural police have firearms in vehicles, and pretty sure all NZ police are qualified to use them, but community said no to regular carry.
https://www.sbs.com.au/news/article/new-zealand-scrap-armed-police-units-after-community-pushback/51y07tr3n
https://www.sbs.com.au/news/article/new-zealand-scrap-armed-police-units-after-community-pushback/51y07tr3n
Matt H@liamvhogan nothing says safety like heavily armed men whose boss has stated openly that they will fire on people carrying water pistols.
ghost_shit"Here's a bunch of knuckleheads in #BattleUtes to help allay your fears about the fuel crisis!"
Wonderdog 🏳️🌈@liamvhogan I saw them like that at Canberra airport recently.
Terrifying.
I have CPTSD anyway, and seeing police further armed as though they're military? Did not help.
Terrifying.
I have CPTSD anyway, and seeing police further armed as though they're military? Did not help.