I would add to valuable point in post just above, "WE put that difference down to the fact that only trained firearms officers are allowed to use hand guns in the UK", that these officers do not carry firearms all the time, but are only issued with them ad hoc to enable a specific situation to be dealt with where the senior officer in charge has determined that the use of firearms is the appropriate action to be taken. That senior officer will almost certainly be required to justify that decision to a subsequent committee of enquiry.

≈M≈