I believe police officers should be armed, no matter where they might be! Imagine a cop trying to make an arrest on a person and the perpetrator pulls out a handgun! What’s a police officer to do? Pull out his batton and kindly ask this person to drop his gun and assume the position to get the bracelets! Likely! However, I can tell you that a person who is on the lam and doesn’t want to be caught will pull the trigger and try to kill whoever might stand in his way to freedom. Unfortunate but a likely scenario!
An officer with a handgun would have an opportunity to defend himself and maybe carry the arrest to term. Police officers are trained to use their better judgements at all times, no matter what the situation may present to them. I have several friends who are police officers here in Canada and I can guarantee that none will draw their gun until it is absolutely necessary. Not only for their safety but for the safety of others. They are trained to shoot center mass to make sure that whoever is shooting at them will be disabled immediately in a shooting match! Such an incident recently took place. Two officers responded to a public disturbance call and were met by a drunken “gentlemen” with a shotgun. A short discussion took place before the man opened fire. One of the officers was hit in his vest while a few of the buckshots broke his skin around his throat and face. His partner opened fire and double tapped the shooter with his handgun. Situation dealt with rapidly and efficiently, preventing the death of two officers, who, if they hadn’t been armed, could have been killed that night!
Being a police officer presents different situations each time they respond to a call and none of them know what will happen from one moment to the next. Having a gun makes it an even playing field in an age when outlaws simply do not care about other people. For the police officer, it gives him a fighting chance to get home to his loved one and to do his job efficiently and with a certain peace of mind! Believe me that none of them want to ever pull out their gun during a call!
My point being that I believe cops should have the right equipment for a demanding job and if that includes a sidearm than so be it!

Steph, great pictures as usual!
And the A380 in Emirates colours looks incredible!

I recently saw a report on CNN on the situation in North Korea. Now although some things may have been slightly blown out of proportion by the channel to paint a darker picture, the situation there certainly wouldn’t entice me to pack up my belongings and make the move to Pyongyang! It would seem that getting rid of the little man running the country with an iron fist would be a priority for them. However, how does one do that without getting killed or sent to a concentration camp first!

Welcome to the group! Enjoy!

What is amazing for me is that a little country town like Carpentras made the front pages all the way here in North America. My grandmother lives just outside Carpentras in a small village called Venasque and I had to wonder if she was alright as she to attend a few doctor appointments there!
It seems that this is slowly coming to an end as less and less people are taking to the streets every night! I hope this unrest will soon end to allow France to heel from its wounds! Many here in North America believe France’s image was hurt within the worldwide community! I tend to agree a little!

Steph, the B&W shot is incredible, not to say that the other isn’t good! Both of them are outstanding.
OUt od curiosity, have you ever thought of a professional career in photography?

Do you think the recent measures taken by the government in the past forty-eight hours will be enough to finally bring this to an end?
As well, it seems this problem is now slowly spreading to the rest of the continent with apparent rioting in Belgium and Germany. How long do you think it will take for these governments to take care of the problem? Will they be efficient or as inept as the current French government has proven to be?

:rolleyes: French weather and riot forecast tonight! 😀 😀 😀

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