When I was (briefly) a UK cop we were told in no uncertain terms NOT to run to an incident (don't get out of breath) and to OBSERVE the participants until they were too knackered to offer resistance, then take them in to custody.
Obviously, we didn't have knives or guns - just a big, wooden baton.
There's a special division of UK cops who do carry guns and undergo rigorous training. They get called out if it's suspected that someone has a weapon.
I didn't stay in "the force" for long. It was a thankless job and dangerous in the towns. I decided that I was the one most likely to end up being prosecuted. And that was several decades ago. I hate to imagine what it's like now.
When I was (briefly) a UK cop we were told in no uncertain terms NOT to run to an incident (don't get out of breath) and to OBSERVE the participants until they were too knackered to offer resistance, then take them in to custody.
Obviously, we didn't have knives or guns - just a big, wooden baton.
There's a special division of UK cops who do carry guns and undergo rigorous training. They get called out if it's suspected that someone has a weapon.
I didn't stay in "the force" for long. It was a thankless job and dangerous in the towns. I decided that I was the one most likely to end up being prosecuted. And that was several decades ago. I hate to imagine what it's like now.