Half a croissant, on a plate, with a sign in front of it saying '50c'
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Medieval Police

Taking Law Enforcement slap-bang into the 15th Century!
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Batons. Pepper spray. Handcuffs. All used by the police, and all effective devices when needed, but they're hardly effective deterents "oooh, don't mess mess with the copper or he'll hit you with his black plastic stick!". My solution? Policemen carry with them weaponry that stricks fear into the very heart of the criminal ferternity, that might not be as effective as modern weaponry, but looks a lot nastier.

As anyone who's seen gladiator, braveheart or Luc Basson's Joan of Arc you simply do not mess with someone who's wielding a mace. or an axe. or a crossbow. or the porkupine*. Arm police with mediaeval weaponry and crime rates will plumet, I mean, who wants to be hit in the face with a mace? Arm normal bobbies-on-the beat could be armed with a mace, a shield and a suit of armour, Riot police with longbows (tips on fire, natch), and swat teams with proper battering rams, crossbows, axes and the porkupine*. Not even the most hardened of criminals would dare mess with these new mediaeval police! crime would be eliminated! yay!

(*see Joan of Arc)

Shenton, May 16 2003

(?) Like this? http://www.kgw.com/...rs_082302/pic2.html
//traditional shields and suits of armour would be renforced with modern materials// [Worldgineer, Oct 21 2004]

"Concealed Type 89" http://en.wikipedia...wiki/Type_89_Chi-Ro
Rather difficult to conceal [normzone, Oct 08 2007]

(?) Probably meant this Type 89 http://www.airsofte...fo&products_id=3397
Although not exactly a concealable by my standards [normzone, Oct 08 2007]

[link]






       I think you're confusing the weapons police use in crowd control vs. what they use in crime fighting. Here in the US, police (and criminals) use guns. Sadly, that doesn't really stop crime. Throw an officer in the middle of a gang fight carrying only a mace, and you'll probably soon have a dead officer. I would think your techniques would break up crowds, but police generally already come too far in quashing free speech.
Worldgineer, May 16 2003
  

       My guess is you haven't been hit with a truncheon, or you would realize it's as effective as a mace, only it doesn't draw blood so easily. (I've seen demonstrations, before you ask.)
DrCurry, May 16 2003
  

       kwailo78, thanks for the spelling advice   

       Worldgineer, traditional shields and suits of armour would be renforced with modern materials in order to make them bulitt proof, now who's gonna mess with a Mediaeval Cop!   

       DrCurry, I've no kwarms about the effectiveness of modern weaponary, but mediaeval weaponary would be a more effective deterent because it draws blood (by the way I'm sorry about the whole slapping you in the face device thing, I've realised the error of my ways)
Shenton, May 16 2003
  

       medieval style melee weaponry is gonna kill people a lot faster than nightsticks. Deaths after 1-2 blows should be common without medical attention. Ok, a lot of criminals deserve it but it won't look good in the newspapers.
vmaldia, Jul 23 2006
  

       This would be much better if the maces had shotguns or similar modern weapons in them. Crossbows and longbows won't save you in the ghetto. There could be 3 stages:   

       1: Hitting with mace.   

       2: Spraying with mace (the common, liquid stuff).   

       3: Blasting them with your concealed Type 89 (only in serious emergencies)   

       I think you, in any case, forgot the ancient gatling gun. Also known as a "very fast catapult" to the people of old.
Shadow Phoenix, Oct 08 2007
  
      
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