After four confirmed firearms incidents in a week including a shooting death and a separate incident where the gunman appeared to be firing at police and innocent bystanders The Royal Gazette took to the streets to ask whether officers should be armed on a regular basis.We received mixed reaction from the public.Trikeita Outerbridge, 27, was one of three people who disagreed with police having guns on a routine basis.She said: “I think a select few should be trained in firearms and able to respond in their area. I don’t think everyone should have firearm capabilities.“It’s not that serious yet as the media makes it out to be. In comparison to Israel or anywhere else it is nothing. We have 15 murders a year now, they have 15 to 30 a day. It is more feasible to pick out the few so you know you are going to be able to use it in the right way.”The administrative assistant said having officers armed constantly would “just breed more hostility in the community”.Compliance manager Jay Smith, 31, said officers should be armed depending on their skill set and years in the force.“It depends on their qualifications. If they are police officers and pass their training course then I do not see why not,” he added.A 14-year-old Mount Saint Agnes student disagreed with officers being routinely armed and said: “It could be really dangerous and what if it’s in their pockets and ends up firing by itself or is in the wrong hands.”Security guard Gina Smith, 49, said: “[Police] can’t go up against criminals without guns if the criminals are going to have guns. It’s just a sign of the times and we have to move with the times.“I think if they are being called for a situation they definitely should and the rest should definitely have Tasers. They have to have something that can stop them in their tracks.”Robert Tailford, 39, said: “I would say yes because it seems like the streets are getting a bit more dangerous now. From the reports you can hear these guys seem to be carrying weapons and certainly knives.“It’s a hard question about the firearms, half of me says yes, half of me says no. I am undecided,” the trust administrator added.Tiffany Swainson, 29, an accountant, said: “Yes I do because of the violence that is forthcoming in this day and age. It’s safe for them to be protected.”Photographer Graeme Outerbridge, 60, disagreed that all police should have immediate access to firearms.He said: “I do not think that Bermuda has reached a point where we need armed officers in the street all the time.“I think it is so far from where the actual problem is we do not have to proliferate that because the next argument is going to come from the public ‘if the police can be armed, why can’t we?’“The less firearms there are legally or illegally the less chance of people getting shot. The more in the community the higher the chance of people getting shot.”l What do you think? E-mail news[AT]royalgazette.bm.