Gun-carrying UK police officers respond to criticism with #SmileForTheBBC

Smiling police officers are taking over Twitter following a row over increased numbers of firearms officers by Northumbria Police.

The announcement that said numbers would swell was made by the region’s force last month, and the public were invited to voice their concerns. The comments, collated by the BBC, included:

• "Please keep your guns away from our children."
• "Armed police does everything but 'reassure' the public, it makes us really uncomfortable. This isn't the states!"
• "I do not want to live in a country where it's a daily occurrence to see armed police with semi automatic weapons patrolling our streets and our [Christmas] events."
• "Obviously we would prefer it if it weren't necessary, but it is ... and ... makes me and my family feel safer."
• "Has Santa been warned. No sudden movements or present giving."

Northumbria Police acknowledged the concern, and added that the increase did not occur because of any specific threat or intelligence, but to reassure the public that the force was in a position to respond to any incident that did occur.

In response they shared the following picture on Facebook, which has since been seized upon by Twitter: