Lack Of Armed Officers 'Leaving UK Vulnerable'

A shortage of armed police officers is leaving Britain vulnerable to terror attack, the Police Federation of England and Wales has said.

The Government announced plans last month to train another 1,500 firearms officers after terror attacks in Brussels and Paris, but the federation claims officers are not volunteering because they fear being treated like a suspect if they discharge their weapon.

Federation chairman Steve White told the Press Association: "Before we even start talking about recruiting the extra 1,500, we are struggling to fill the vacancies we have currently got because of the lack of understanding and protection that officers would have if they have to discharge their firearm.

"Officers don't want to carry firearms because they are concerned that if they discharge it, they are going to get arrested for murder.

"But it is all connected with how officers are feeling - they are feeling vulnerable, they are feeling under threat. And if they are feeling like that ordinarily, why would they take the extra step to volunteer to carry guns? It is just more pressure, it is just more potential criticism.

"The Government has got to provide a message to the service, not that it has a get-out-of-jail free card, but that officers will be supported appropriately and fairly in order to encourage officers to step forward and take on additional responsibility."

Mr White warned there are "worrying" inconsistencies in the service nationally that have left some forces without firearms officers and reliant on neighbouring forces for coverage.

He added: "This isn't necessarily about the individual police officers, this is about our ability as a service to provide the level of protection that members of the public quite rightly expect.

"I think many members of the public think we have a lot more firearms officers than we actually have. I think they probably think we are all equipped with Tasers. It simply isn't the case.

"The inconsistency around the service is worrying, because no longer can we assume that if there is some kind of terrorist outrage that it is going to happen in the capital."

Mr White was speaking ahead of the federation's annual conference this week, with Home Secretary Theresa May expected to get a tense reception when she addresses officers on Tuesday.