By Na Jeong-ju
Police officers expressed skepticism Wednesday over police chief Cho Hyun-oh’s instruction to use pistols more aggressively in defending themselves from gangs, saying police should revise the manual on the use of guns first.
“The existing manual says guns are the last means to use in fighting criminal suspects. The use of guns is strictly restricted at this point and time,” an officer in Seoul said.
“If something goes wrong due to a shooting, it is the officer who should take full legal responsibility for that. It’s almost impossible for officers to actively use guns under these circumstances.”
Another officer in Seoul also said Cho’s “reckless” push for more gun use could lead to tragic consequences.
“The problem is that gangs are not afraid of guns. If we shoot at them, they will shoot at us, too. Most officers think it is not a good idea to use guns,” he said. “The police chief supports aggressive gun use, but the reality is different.”
The reaction came after Cho, commissioner general of the National Police Agency, told officers not to refrain from using guns in fighting against gangs, expressing disappointment at officers who couldn’t stop the violence between gangsters in Incheon.
About 130 gangsters from the two different groups got into a violent fight Friday night outside a hospital in downtown Incheon. One gang member was severely injured from being stabbed.
About 70 police officers called to the scene only kept watch over the gang members for about two hours, according to witnesses. The street fight triggered a public uproar over the police's feeble response to the organized gangsters.
“I feel ashamed after watching the news about officers described as ‘feeble.’ What are guns for? Why do they carry guns? They should have used their guns to control the gangsters,” Cho said. “We should always keep in mind that we are responsible for the safety of citizens. We should deal more sternly with gangsters.”
It was the latest in a series of his remarks in support of more gun use.
Following an incident in May, in which an officer got injured while defending himself unarmed against a knife-wielding, drunken man at a police station, he called on officers to use guns more aggressively.
He also indicated the need to ease regulations on gun use by officers in August, saying, “what’s important is to help police officers use guns in the right way at the right moment. That’s to protect citizens.”
Cho’s remarks have drawn criticism from civic groups. They argue that the overuse of guns by officers can lead to more crimes and violence by gangsters.
The police are currently discussing a possible revision of the guidelines on gun use. They are seeking to exempt policemen from responsibility if they use their firearms “properly,” an NPA spokesman said.