2. Police without guns

One of the things that visitors to Britain notice is that the police are unarmed. Britain is one of the few countries in the world (Norway and New Zealand are the others) where the police do not normally carry guns. Most people in Britain, including the police, are happy with this. They feel that if the police were armed, criminals too would always carry guns, and the cycle of violence would increase.

A comparison is often made with the USA, where the rate of murder by firearms is almost ten times the UK rate. It would be fairer to look at a country like Belgium, where the police are armed but the murder rate is not much higher than in Britain.

The trouble with comparisons with the USA is that it is a very different sort of society. Above all, there are 250 million handguns in the USA, whereas in Britain it is illegal to own a handgun; you can keep a shotgun or a hunting rifle, but even for these it is quite difficult to get a licence.

Actually the first impression of an unarmed police service is not quite accurate. Some officers do have guns, but they do not patrol the streets with them. There are a number of police cars known as Armed Response Vehicle (ARVs), which contain guns locked in boxes. These are called in when necessary. In London, for example, in 2000 there were 12 such ARVs, and they went into action about 25 times per day.

UnIt 12 american law enforcement organisations

Vocabulary

1. create (v) /krI'eIt/ - создавать

2. establish (v) /I'stxblIS/ - 1. основывать, создавать

2. устанавливать (факт)

3. purpose (n) /'pE:pqs/ - намерение, цель

with the purpose - с целью

for the purpose of something - в целях чего-либо,

для каких-либо целей

on purpose - нарочно

achieve the purpose /q'CJv/ - добиться цели

4. military (a) /'mIlItqri/ - военный, воинский

5. prohibit (v) /prq'hIbIt/ - запрещать, препятствовать

prohibition (n) /"prqVI'bISn/ - 1. запрещение

2. запретительный судебный

приказ

6. entitle (v) /In'taItl/ - давать право

be entitled to something - иметь право на что-либо

7. tax (n) /txks/ - налог (государственный),

пошлина, сбор

tax (v) - облагать налогом

tax evasion /"txks I'veIZn/ - уклонение от уплаты

налогов

taxation (n) /txk'seISn/ - 1. обложение налогом,

взимание налога

2. размер налога

8. trooper (n) /'trHpq/ - (амер.) полицейский

9. list (n) /lIst/ - список, перечень

10. mission (n) /mISn/ - 1. предназначение

2. задача, задание

11. eliminate (v) /I'lImIneIt/ - устранять, уничтожать,

ликвидировать

12. involve (v) /In'vPlv/ - вовлекать, впутывать

involvement in something - вовлечение, участие в чем-

/In'vPlvmqnt/ либо

13. reduce (v) /rI'djHs/ - ослаблять, уменьшать,

сокращать

14. empower (v) /Im'paVq/ - 1. уполномочивать

2. разрешать, давать

возможность

15. aid in something (v) /eId/ - помогать, поддерживать

aid (n) /eId/ - помощь, поддержка

come to the aid - приходить на помощь

16. prejudice (n) /'preGVdIs/ - предубеждение,

предвзятое мнение

be prejudiced against somebody - иметь предубеждение

против кого-либо

17. permit (v) /pq'mIt/ - позволять, разрешать

18. enemy (n) /'enqmi/ - враг, противник

19. loyal (a) /'lOIql/ - верный, преданный

loyalty (n) /'lOIqlti/ - верность, преданность

20. trap (v) /trxp/ - ставить ловушку,

заманивать

trap (n) /trxp/ - ловушка, западня

Task 1. Read and translate the sentences.

1. The scheme probably created more problems than it solved.

2. The police are trying to establish where he was at the time of the incident.

3. They might well be prepared to do you harm in order to achieve their purposes.

4. There is a law that prohibits tobacco advertising in newspapers and magazines.

5. The result will be higher taxation.

6. Once long ago he had considered becoming a state trooper.

7. Making a list of what to do may save you much time.

8. Her mission in life was helping victims of crime.

9. The prohibition and elimination of chemical weapons became the major issue of the talks.

10. The detectives launched an operation that involved Interpol.

11. The preventive measures will reduce the risk of terrorists’ attack.

12. The new laws empowered the police to stop anybody in the street.

13. The hunt for the killer will continue with police aided by the air force.

14. Poverty and ignorance are the enemy of progress.

Task 2. Fill the gaps with the words from the box; translate the sentences.

loyal establish prejudice permitted (2) involvement eliminate

create trap evasion involves missions empowered

1. The thieves were caught in a police …

2. We shall fight to … our innocence.

3. He had always been such a … friend to us.

4. The government plans to … more opportunities for young people.

5. No journalists have been … into the court.

6. Tax … is the crime of not paying the full amount of tax that you should pay.

7. He said he hoped the police would investigate the case thoroughly and without …

8. One of the … of police activities is to … drug trafficking in this area.

9. The lawyer was … to pay all his client’s bills.

10. We need to avoid further military …

11. The witness’s statement … you in the robbery.

12. The prisoner was … two hours’ exercise a day.

Task 3. Practise the following for pronunciation.

early /'E:li/ disciplined /'dIsqplInd/

inherit /In'herIt/ focus /'fqVkqs/

mayor /meq/ rigid /'rIGId/

originate /q'rIGIneIt/ bureau /'bjVqrqV/

quasi-military /'kweIzaI'mIlItqri/ antitrust /'xnti"trAst/

command /kq'mRnd/ treasury /'treZqri/

purpose /'pE:pqs/ prohibition /"prqVI'bISn/

efficiency /I'fISqnsi/ crusade /krH'seId/

prototype /'prqVtqtaIp/ erosion /I'rqVZn/

Task 4. Read the following.

A:

the United States /jH"naItId'steIts/ Texas /'teksqs/

England /'INglqnd/ Massachusetts /"mxsq'CHsIts/

Boston /'bPstqn/ London /'lAndqn/

New York /"njH'jLk/ Metropolitan /"metrq'pPlItqn/

Philadelphia /"fIlq'delfIq/ Pennsylvania /"pensl'veInIq/

B:

men over 16 in 1844 in 1920

the 19^th century in the early 1900s a force of about 4,000

in 1838 in 1905 50 state systems

Task 5. Read and translate the text.