Day 201: Astonishing!

Last night I learned something about New Zealand that I previously had not known: Kiwi police officers carry no guns!  This is somewhat shocking to me, and it took me a while to get over it.  At first I couldn't understand how the police could have any authority without weapons.  Apparently it is somewhat of a matter of pride amongst Kiwis that their police don't need to have guns (it is a relatively safe country).  But that said, there are murders here, and robberies, and violence happening.  It must make it a bit scary to know that as a cop you have no means of defending yourself against a criminal armed with a gun.  How much more sacrificial might that make your job?

I suppose you could look at it that police not having guns makes criminals less likely to carry them themselves.  I don't know if this is true; it would make an interesting study.  But what if no guns for police means more criminal will carry guns because they know it gives them the upper hand?  Is it possible that armed police officers in the states makes our criminals that much more violent? 

I wonder where on the page of history America took a course that established the right to bear arms as a fundamental right (maybe this started in the wild west, conquering of the frontier days) and where New Zealand decided on an opposite legislative course of action?  Apparently it's much more difficult here than it is at home to obtain a hand gun; hunting rifles are not that hard to get, but hand guns, which are more easily concealed, require special permits.  Interesting to think about...