Police carrying guns on routine call outs, including tens of thousands of minor incidents of burglaries and even car crashes

‘Police are carrying guns to tens of thousands of burglaries, car crashes and minor incidents each year, it has emerged.

Armed police are being dispatched to domestic incidents and other routine jobs by most forces across England and Wales, according to information released under Freedom of Information laws.

Thames Valley Police deployed officers with handguns to 8,709 routine call-outs in the last year alone.

These make up the majority of work for many of the country’s 6,000 armed officers.’

Read more: Police carrying guns on routine call outs, including tens of thousands of minor incidents of burglaries and even car crashes