I was listening to a discussion this evening on whether the Gardai should be armed. This debate is a reaction to the what seems like an epidemic of killings lately.
Now I'm not all that bothered by the notion of armed police officers. Obviously it's pretty much standard in the US. Yet, I'm not convinced that the current gangland killings are due to the fact that the Gardai are not armed. Maybe I'm just missing some of the details, but if the Gardai are not intimidated or unable to do the job properly because they're not armed, what is arming them going to accomplish?
"The Garda Síochána will succeed not by force of arms or numbers, but on their moral authority as servants of the people".
