>I don't get it. Are the criminals just nicer over there? If the cops didn't carry guns over here, there would be a big shortage of cops.

I think it's largely a historical/cultural thing. The history of the U.S. is rooted in guns. Kids are raised on the romance of the old west with it's belt notches, and the gangs of the roaring 20's and depression 30's.

I'm not an expert on English history, but it seems to me that they don't really have the same sort of historical fixation on guns in general.

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>>the UK and irish police forces are very similar, both do not, as a matter of course, carry guns but do have special sections, the special branch, anti terrorist units, that do. most if not all of the hard core criminals do carry guns but shootings are rare and at least in ireland if the special branch are called in they are in trouble as over here our top police train with the special ops in the army, so they are going to win every time.