There are 800 fewer armed police now than five years ago

Despite rocketing gun crime, the number of police officers wanting to be routinely armed has risen just 1% in eight years, a survey has suggested.

Police Federation figures show 78% of police officers do not want to carry guns, compared to 79% in 1995.

The survey also revealed that 47% of frontline officers in England and Wales backed mandatory wearing of body armour and eight out of 10 said more officers should be trained to use firearms.

Federation chairman Jan Berry said: "Once again this result proves that, in spite of huge risks and dangers police officers face, they acknowledge the vital importance of policing by consent, in partnership with the communities they serve.

Gun crime

"They recognise that openly carrying guns would fundamentally change their relationship with the public."

The news comes after a police union raised concerns over a drop in the number of officers trained to use firearms.

The Police Federation said there were currently only 5,700 officers trained to use guns, compared with 6,500 five years ago.

This has led to fears that officers face an increased risk from armed criminals.

"When gun crime and violence are going up alarmingly, to see that huge reduction is extremely worrying," said the federation chairman.

Police Federation survey 22% in favour of being routinely armed 80% want more officers trained and issued with firearms 47% favour the mandatory wearing of body armour 40% injured at least once in two years after an assault by a member of the public

"We need to try to establish why there has been this reduction and ensure that officers on the street have the right levels of safety and security."

Some believed the survey would show a large rise in the number of officers wanting to carry guns as a matter of routine following a dramatic increase in gun crime.

In 2002 there were nearly 10,000 gun offences - an increase of a third on the previous year.

But the results, announced at the Police Federation conference in Blackpool on Monday, showed the vast majority of 13,000 officers who responded to the survey opposed routinely carrying guns.

'Less back-up'

The Police Superintendents' Association, which represents senior policing staff, has said it does not want to see all officers armed.

Spokesman Kevin Morris said: "We have a pretty firm position that we don't feel that we should be armed on a routine basis.

"It is disturbing that the number of officers trained to carry weapons has fallen, which of course means our officers on the beat have got less back-up, and that really needs to be addressed.

"We train to a very high standard in the UK but we don't routinely arm.

"That would mean something like 125,000 more officers would need to be trained, and some would fail."

Gun crime facts Gun crime up 35% in 2002 Firearms used in 9,974 recorded crimes Gun crime up 600% since 1978 Handgun crimes have doubled since Dunblane

Tony Banks, Labour MP in Newham, east London, said arming all police officers could deter criminals.

He told BBC Radio 5 Live: "Guns are almost a fashion accessory among certain sections of the community.

"You wouldn't have an open gunfight in the street or wander around letting people see you had a gun, if you thought you might find yourself confronting an armed police officer."

Liberal Democrat home affairs spokesman Simon Hughes said: "Unless we reduce the numbers of guns and knives on the streets it will be increasingly difficult to resist calls for more and more armed police.

"[But] armed police on our streets must remain the exception and not the rule."