Self defence?

Ok, so I'm bored. I've just been re-reading the response from Downing Street regards the petition to allow security personnel the use of batons/sprays and handcuffs as standard, to which they basically gave a big no.
I came across a section on the use of reasonable force:

Under the law as it stands a person is entitled to use reasonable force in self-defence, to protect another person or property, to prevent crime or to assist in the lawful arrest of a criminal.
What constitutes `reasonable force' will depend upon the circumstances of each case and is a matter for the courts to decide. The courts have held that if a person does only what he honestly and instinctively thought necessary to defend himself or prevent a crime, then that would be potent evidence that only reasonable defensive action had been taken.

Now, the way I read that, if your first instinct when someone pulls a knife/whatever on you whilst not on duty is to punch them full-force in the face, breaking their nose/jaw/whatever else you come into contact with, that would be reasonable force. So in theory, this would be the same if we were on duty at the time this happened, wouldn't it?

As a private citizen, we could defend ourselves in that way and it would be called self defence, however, whilst on duty whether it be in a pub or club, or a retail site, or even in some remote building site, we are seen as having a position of authority, and if we did this to defend ourselves on duty, we would be considered as thugs who beat up people rather than attempt to disarm them without having to resort to violence.

It's a very grey area, but until it is clarified we are going to be constantly on a knife-edge (no pun intended) if someone tries to attack us in any way shape or form, wondering if we would be sued etc if we seemingly go too far.

Gordon, get your ass into gear and allow us all to defend ourselves properly. The criminals use weapons on us, so why can't we use 'defensive' weapons on them?

Followup: Security officer killed on duty

Last night it came to my attention that the officer 'killed' on duty in Bristol on Saturday, had in fact died from natural causes.
Obviously I cant speculate as to the actual cause of his death until confirmation is released by the police, but it still does't change my comments regarding the issuing of batons and sprays to officers to be able to defend ourselves.

Security Officer killed on duty

In the early hours of yesterday, 1st March, a security officer was killed whilst on duty at a bowling alley in Bristol. The following story is taken from the this is bristol website:

SEVEN people have been arrested after a security guard was killed in an incident at the Bowlplex bowling hall and bar in Longwell Green in the early hours of this morning.
The 27-year-old security guard was in the foyer of the building, which is part of the Aspects Leisure Park, when the incident happened.

Police have sealed off the foyer and are expected to be at the scene most of the day carrying out inquiries to establish the full circumstances surrounding the man's death.
It was not clear how he was killed.

Detective Inspector Richard Budd said: "We know there were in excess of 100 people using facilities at Bowlplex during the early hours of this morning.
"It is important that we speak to those people to help us piece together the circumstances surrounding the man's death.

"Officers are this morning studying CCTV footage and speaking to people who were either working or visiting Bowlplex at around the time of the incident."
Police have arrested seven people in connection with the death. They were being held at a Bristol police station.

The dead man worked for Wotton-under-Edge-based Stuart Leisure Security which has a contract with Bowlplex to provide security guards.

Commercial director of Bowlplex Marena Hyatt-Willis said: "We are liaising with the police completely on this and trying to find out what happened.
"Our immediate concern is for the young man's family. He was only 27."

She said the company would issue a statement later today.

The Bowlplex has a late bar which is open until 1.30am on Fridays and Saturdays and also runs a disco, pool room and video room.



Now, correct me if Im wrong, but the last comment there, is that just a blatant advertisment or what? Someone died, and they are listing what facilities they have there.
I have just left a comment on that site, but not mentioning either this or the main APSO site, as it would probably not be shown.

Lets just see what happens in the next few days, as come tomorrow it will probably hit the main news rather than just the local papers, and hopefully someone from the government will sit up and take notice, as we have just had the response from them regarding the recent petition to allow security personnel to carry batons and sprays to be able to defend ourselves effectively, to which they gave a resounding NO.