© Charlotte Ball/PAThe Metropolitan police have discussed using additional armed officers.
Sadiq Khan, the mayor of London, has come under pressure to order Cressida Dick, the Metropolitan police commissioner, to stop plans for officers to patrol residential areas of the city with their guns on show.
The plans being considered by the Met are aimed at boosting community confidence and public safety, but triggered swingeing criticism on Thursday night.
An email sent to a number of community figures by the Met outlining the proposal said it was in response to knife crime and rising violent crime.
The Met email, seen by the
Guardian, said: "We are sure you and your communities are all as troubled as we are by the unsettling number of young people being seriously and fatally stabbed in recent times."
It continues: "There has been recent internal discussion around using additional armed support to patrol on foot amongst local communities, with their weapons visible and accessible. The purpose of any such initiative must be to enhance public and unarmed officer safety, and to improve not hinder community confidence."
Comment: Societal protections crunching to a halt for decades due to insufficient political correctness? What is the bigger infraction: nothing being done by law enforcement out of fear of being labeled xenophobic, or the actual crimes committed by actual criminals?