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Dozens and sometimes hundreds of frontline police officers have been told to carry guns on average once a week in recent months, as fears around gun violence escalate.
Source: 1 NEWS
Some of these temporary arming orders - where all frontline officers can be armed - can span entire districts and last for days, usually while police investigate a shooting or other violence.
Some say this is the safest response to a growing problem - others warn it increases the chances of injury and death.
In the 10 months to January this year, police issued 47 of what they call "temporary carriage orders", figures released under the Official Information Act show. This is slightly more than once a week somewhere around the country.