The Metropolitan police commissioner wants to increase the number of armed officers in London in the wake of the Paris attacks.
Sir Bernard Hogan-Howe said he expected to have 
to lose 5,000 of the capital’s 32,000 officers to cope with
 cuts likely to total £800m over four years after the spending review this month.
But he tried to reassure Londoners that the number of firearms officers was being reviewed as a result of the attacks in the French capital, in which 129 people were killed. He said 
the Metropolitan police was proud to be a mostly unarmed force, but the Paris attacks showed the need for change.
Are the police moving from a visual unarmed deterrent to squads of armed militia? I don't like what Policing could become 
 http://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2...ard-hogan-howe
 
http://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2...ard-hogan-howe