Police chiefs to discuss arms

The issue of arming police officers is to be discussed at a top level meeting next month, the Chief Constable of Merseyside, Jim Sharples, said yesterday. While the need to arm officers was constantly under review, it was the first time it had been put formally on the Acpo agenda in recent years.

Mr Sharples, secretary of Acpo's crime committee, told a news conference that while there was 'certainly no consensus' on the general arming of officers, Acpo needed to assess its position.