Don civilians need guns to protect themselves?
• As the US example has shown all too well, arming for self protection does not work, it only serves to escalate violence. While murder rates without guns are roughly comparable between our two countries, the firearm homicide rate in the US is 7.9 times greater and handgun homicide 14.5 times higher than in Canada. Uncontrolled access to guns puts officers at risk – the more guns that widely accessible, the greater the risk to police. Widespread access to guns in the United States has increased risk for police officers. In 1997, 1 police officer was murdered on the job in Canada, while in the US, with a population ten times greater than Canada and much easier access to guns, there were 64 police officers murdered on duty and 63 of them were killed with a firearm. In San Diego for example, one in three drivers apprehended for traffic infractions is armed. Our law and values do not support arming civilians for self protection.
As the US example has shown all too well, arming for self protection does not work, it only serves to escalate violence. While murder rates without guns are roughly comparable between our two countries, the firearm homicide rate in the US is 7.9 times greater and handgun homicide 14.5 times higher than in Canada. Uncontrolled access to guns puts officers at risk – the more guns that widely accessible, the greater the risk to police. Widespread access to guns in the United States has increased risk for police officers. In 1997, 1 police officer was murdered on the job in Canada, while in the US, with a population ten times greater than Canada and much easier access to guns, there were 64 police officers murdered on duty and 63 of them were killed with a firearm. In San Diego for example, one in three drivers apprehended for traffic infractions is armed. Our law and values do not support arming civilians for self protection.
