Former Island Chief Constable weighs into 'arming police' debate

Thu, 20 Sep 2012

Robin Oake

The Isle of Man’s former Chief Constable Robin Oake has weighed into the arguments surrounding the deaths of PC’s Fiona Bone and Nicole Hughes.

Following their deaths on Tuesday there are renewed calls for the debate on whether or not to arm police while on duty.

It’s a subject close to Robin’s heart after his son PC Stephen Oake was killed during an anti-terror raid in Manchester in 2003.

Mr Oake who held the senior police position on Island between 1986 and 1999 has said he feels on the whole it’s a bad idea.

In a televised interview he said he thinks arming the force on routine procedures would drive a wedge between the public and those who are policing.