We were at a public event and they had police present at the gates for security. We said hi to one of the officers, and my 5 year old and I noticed everything he had on his belt - cuffs, light, etc.

My son asked why he had a gun.

My response: In case he has to shoot someone.

To protect people?

Good guys need weapons in order to protect you from bad guys with weapons.

"Son, we live in a world that has walls, and those walls have to be guarded by men with guns."

There are bad guys out there who want to hurt people. The police carry guns so that they can stop the bad guys from doing that.

flashguy

Because the other guy might have a gun...or simply a desire to hurt or kill an innocent.

More simply, because there is evil in the world.

It's not just 5yr olds that ask that question!

I hear it from Brits, Aussies, and lots of US Millennials and Progs.

My pat answer is this..

Cops carry guns b/c sometimes the bad guys need to be shot. And you can't do that if you don't have a gun.

Only a good person with a gun can stop a bad person with a gun.

To protect lives & uphold the law naturally

Because evil exists, and good men are needed to keep that evil at bay, or it will grow and spread, to the ruin of all.

Because sometimes evil cannot be confronted by words alone.

quote:

Originally posted by konata88:
To protect people ?

themselves.

quote:

Originally posted by smschulz:

quote:

Originally posted by konata88:
To protect people ?

themselves.

You say that as if it were a bad thing. Naturally, they must protect themselves or they cannot perform their other duties.

flashguy

This message has been edited. Last edited by: flashguy,

Because rough men stand ready in the night to visit violence on those who would do us harm, so we may sleep peacefully

Not to get off subject but this reminds me of when I was 10 years old. Im in a doctors office with my Dad waiting to be seen by a doctor, for my broken finger. 2 Chicago policemen walk into the same waiting room, one was my older cousin. His partner had a 1911 cocked and locked in his holster. I asked him why is your gun cocked like that...

His reply, " So when I pull the trigger it goes, Bang!"

...Because a civilian is too heavy...

quote:

His partner had a 1911 cocked and locked in his holster. I asked him why is your gun cocked like that...His reply, " So when I pull the trigger it goes, Bang!"

My range master told a story: He carried a 1911 on duty, while he was walking into a store a customer approached him and said "Do you know that your hammer is cocked?"

He replied, "Yes it is, but it's not set to go off for another 30 minutes." Kept on walking...

quote:

Originally posted by Yanert98:
It's not just 5yr olds that ask that question!

I hear it from Brits, Aussies, and lots of US Millennials and Progs.

You really need to find yourself some British friends who think it's no big deal.

The 1/8th of me that IS British thinks that police carrying guns is very sensible - here in yUK it would have saved a few lives over the past three or four years...shooting a knife-wielding thug AFTER he's killed your unarmed buddy is one event too late.

tac