Egypt's Interior minister agrees to arm low-ranking officers

[DJKeefy]

Interior Minister Mohamed Ibrahim has agreed to arm low-ranking police officers and personnel "to combat dangerous criminals," among 19 other accepted demands the officers had been on strike action for since Tuesday.

Ibrahim agreed to allocate 100,000 pistols to low-ranking officers and personnel, ostensibly to allow them to protect themselves during riots.

Several police officers were reportedly killed in recent clashes with protesters. Tens of citizens have have also been reported killed and rights organisations in Egypt have also frequently condemned police brutality.

Ibrahim also agreed to cancel all existing penalties and disciplinary military trials for police personnel.

In addition, the interior ministry agreed to facilitate administrative requirements for low-ranking personnel to be promoted, and is planning to accept 1500 low-ranking officers for the "officers of honour" cadre.

Ibrahim has also formed a special committee to look into increasing end-of-service rewards for low-ranking officers.

Another committee will be formed to develop the healthcare system provided by the ministry to all police personnel and their families, as well as establishing more hospitals.

Low-ranking police officers had protested the treatment they receive in the ministry's hospitals, complaining that higher officers receive free medical care while they, as low-ranking personnel, have to rely on Egypt's health insurance system.

Ibrahim has also agreed to purchase 120 residential apartments for officers and police personnel in Northern Sinai and approved forming a cooperative association in different security directorates to work on offering residences to police personnel

The General Coalition for Police Personnel and Conscripts had announced Tuesday that its members would go on strike in over 10 governorates nationwide until their demands were met.

Source: http://english.ahram.org.eg/News/64946.aspx

[DJKeefy]

I hope they get proper training, Yet I doubt it...

[Bombay]

If someone points a gun at you shoot them the only training you need is how not to miss!
R

[Dusak]

And of course, lets hope they remember to give them some bullets this time.

[Winged Isis]

Hopefully ones that fit their weapons.

[Dusak]

I'm reliably informed Winged Isis that a great many of Egyptian males shoot blanks anyway so probably won't matter in this instance.

[Hafiz]

If it wasn't in al-Ahram I wouldn't have believed it.

Was there anything that the Minister did not promise to give them. Guns, promotions, medical care, accommodation etc and of course something to bang with. The Government must be very desperate.

He also seems to have made a promise about protecting the police from criminal legal proceedings. If true this goes against everything the new order says it stands for and, when known of, will be like a red rag to the bullish Cairo crowds who don't shoot blanks.

With the prosecutions offer, I hope there was an error in translation.

[Winged Isis]

Hmmm, then how do you explain the population statistics, D? Be nice!

Sadly H, probably not.

[Dusak]

Artificial insemination. You would not believe the sperm count levels in the flour.

[Winged Isis]

I thought that would be weevils.

[Dusak]

Yes and no. They attach each sperm to the tail end of the evil weevils as they know that these are consumed by the populous as an extra source of nutrition. A bit like a Bovril pancake mix.