Once upon a time, England was known for the fact that its police didn’t carry firearms. At least by Americans, whose law enforcement officials have been armed and dangerous for well over a hundred years. The UK’s rep for non-ballistic solutions to criminal problems outlasted the reality. British police began the transition with specially-trained armed response units, steadily and inexorably moving towards in-car weaponry for increasing numbers of police, to po-po strolling the streets of The City with machine guns at the ready. Meanwhile, New Zealand has maintained the now-extinct tradition of unarmed police. But political pressure to arm the long arm of the law is growing. The New Zealand Herald reports that a recent violent attack against the police in otherwise sleepy Ngaruawahia—a confrontation that left two police officers with serious injuries—has added fuel to the debate over whether or not Kiwi cops should carry.