One hundred years ago
Burglars are taking so kindly to the knife and the revolver that even the police are startled. Within the past fort- night, four or five cases have occurred in which interrupted burglars have en- deavoured, like their American con- freres, to avoid arrest by killing the police. It is proposed, therefore, to arm the police, and the twenty Super- intendents of the Metropolis have met in council to consider the subject. They have decided that, on the whole, the proposal is inexpedient, and that the club is a much better weapon. They ad- vise that in dangerous districts the patrols should be doubled, and they adopted a proposal to abandon rattles, and substitute a very piercing whistle. Opinion is not, we believe, as yet matured enough to allow of the arming of the police, though they are armed both in France and America; but we do not quite see why a few picked men should not be trusted with arms, and why the addition of a gendarmerie to the police should be considered so monstrous.
Spectator, 15 September 1883
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