Police on Patrol With Submachine Guns at London’s Heathrow Airport

Britain put police armed with submachine guns on patrol against terrorists at London’s Heathrow Airport on Thursday, drawing praise from passengers along with laments for the passing of the image of the benign and unarmed British bobby.

British officials explained in almost apologetic tones that the deployment of Scotland Yard’s elite D-11 unit at Heathrow was prompted by the terrorist attacks Dec. 27 on Rome and Vienna airports.

Heathrow passengers said it is sad but necessary. “I don’t agree with the police being armed, but the way things are in the world it’s the only thing they can do,” said John Main, a Briton.

‘Spoils the Image’

“It certainly spoils the image of the British bobby and it’s getting more and more like America,” he said, watching the policemen armed with 9-millimeter Heckler & Koch submachine guns patrol the check-in area of Heathrow’s intercontinental flights terminal.

Britain has long prided itself on its mostly unarmed police force and the strict rules governing the issuance of weapons to detectives on dangerous operations.

But the image has been tarnished in recent years. Civil libertarians charge that police are increasing the use of guns, sometimes ineptly.

By coincidence, the announcement of armed guards at Heathrow came on the day that police announced they would bring manslaughter charges against an officer whose gun discharged during a raid on a robbery suspect’s home, killing a 5-year-old boy.

Detective Was Stabbed

But a few months earlier, a detective on a stakeout was stabbed to death, and critics said a gun could have saved him. Both cases stirred widespread debate about whether to arm the police.

A survey of social trends published Thursday reported that firearms offenses have quadrupled since 1972 to 8,376 in 1984.

“Of course it is a matter to be deplored,” said Aviation Minister Michael Spicer, who was on hand as the first armed policeman, Sgt. David Chambers, appeared. “But terminal security is a matter of great importance,” he added.

The Police Federation, an association representing police officers throughout Britain, opposed the measure.

“It means people arriving in this country, who have always believed that the British have an unarmed police force, are going to be confronted with people wearing normal police uniforms but with submachine guns slung across their shoulders,” said federation spokesman Tony Judge.

Clive Soley, an opposition Labor Party lawmaker, said: “The carrying of arms by the police is escalating almost every day. We are well on the way to having an almost permanently armed police force.”

‘Won’t Spray Bullets’

Heathrow’s police chief, Commander Patrick Carson, said the police would only fire single shots at attackers. “We will not stand there and spray bullets around.”

Police declined to say how many armed officers were deployed. They said that until now detectives have patrolled the airport with concealed weapons.

Heathrow was the first British airport to be guarded by visibly armed policemen, and it was not known whether other cities would follow suit.

Michael Yardley, a defense expert, said the measure “plays into the terrorists’ hands” and would endanger passengers. He said the West German-made gun’s high-velocity bullets could pierce a terrorist’s body and harm passengers.

Passenger Anne Ladof, 32, an attorney from York, Penn., said: “I hate to see it happen, but I realize that security precautions are necessary because people didn’t used to open fire on children at airports.

“I lived in Israel for a while where every one carried a machine gun, so I got used to it,” she said. “But I think it encourages people to use them, perhaps unnecessarily, and I think it would be more sensible to have the people carrying the guns far less conspicuous.”

Jay Edelman, 27, Brentwood, Md., said: “It sort of destroyed the image of the British policeman not being armed. But in view of the recent attacks I think it’s a good idea. British police have been fortunate up until now in not having to carry guns, whereas in America they carry them everywhere.”