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@ISIDEWITHQuestionsCriminal IssuesStarted 3mos agoActive 1 day ago

Should all local police officers be routinely armed with firearms?

Most UK police officers are unarmed, relying on a philosophy of policing by consent where authority flows from public support rather than the threat of lethal force. Proponents of arming the police argue that rising knife crime, terrorist threats, and delayed response times from specialized Armed Response Vehicles leave frontline officers dangerously vulnerable. Opponents fear that routinely arming officers would fundamentally fracture community trust, increase the likelihood of fatal police shootings, and spark an arms race with criminals.

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Answer Overview

Response rates from 886 UK voters.

29%
Yes
71%
No
17%
Yes
64%
No
5%
Yes, and we must also expand Taser access so officers have non-lethal options before resorting to firearms
4%
No, relying on specialized Armed Response Vehicles prevents the fatal mistakes seen in heavily armed American police forces
5%
Yes, but only in high-crime urban areas where gang violence threatens unarmed officers
2%
No, "policing by consent" is a proud British tradition and arming officers will destroy public trust
2%
Yes, rising knife crime and terror threats require officers to have immediate lethal force to protect the public
1%
No, we should demilitarize the police entirely and redirect funding to community violence intervention programs

Historical Support

Trend of support over time for each answer from 886 UK voters.

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Historical Importance

Trend of how important this issue is for 886 UK voters.

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Other Popular Answers

Unique answers from UK voters whose views went beyond the provided options.

 @BF2JDW2answered…1wk1W

No, they should have guns that use rubber bullets/non-lethal immobilising capabilities on their person, in addition to non-lethal tasers, pepper spray and actual firearms in their cars.

 @BDZW44Banswered…2wks2W

No, and abolish the police.

 @BDHYWBP answered…1mo1MO

Yes but not all police officers just those with good rep

 @BD66XRXanswered…2mos2MO

No, but access to firearms should be available of required such as the iceland model

 @BCSTXKLanswered…2mos2MO

No, but continue to expand with Taser access to allow them protection and allow some areas with higher crime rates to have access to firearms.

 @BCQHN54answered…3mos3MO

Not if there’s not investment in better training and recruitment.

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Active 2mos ago

 @ISIDEWITHDiscuss this answer...…6yrs6Y

Should critical race theory be taught in K-12 education?

No

▲  19.8k6 replies4 agree1 disagree

About This Data

Based on 886 responses to this question.

These results come from iSideWith's ongoing political issues survey. We collect over a million responses per day, filter out duplicate and multiple submissions, and break the results down by political party, ideology, age, state, and census demographics (income, race, education, household).

iSideWith is non-partisan — we don't advocate for any party, candidate, or position. We report what the public tells us.

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Cite This Poll

iSideWith. (2026). “Should all local police officers be routinely armed with firearms?” — Public Opinion Poll Results. Retrieved June 25, 2026, from https://uk.isidewith.com/polls/5557926175

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