Time has come to arm our police force in a reasonable way

The shooting of Garda Paul Sherlock this week has again raised the question of whether we should arm our police force.

Gardai themselves, particularly rank-and-file members, have always expressed their opposition to all members being routinely armed.

In any event, had Garda Sherlock been armed, he most likely would still have been shot, such was the nature of the ambush that was sprung upon him.

Nobody wants to see our officers on the ...