SURELY police patrols should be armed only with tasers, batons and pepper spray rather than guns, to combat street violence (Warrington Guardian, October 21).

With the recent jailing of the Cullens, confronting gangs with firearms is a dangerous step and ‘the thin end of the wedge’.

The Americans used to admire British policing because it was carried out without routinely carrying guns.

They used to say ‘When America sneezes, Britain catches a cold’.

Now we understand what they meant.

It all started with baseball caps and from there it was only a matter of time before it progressed to armed combat on the streets.

If we fight fire with fire, then everyone gets burned.

And Britain simply becomes another ‘US satellite state’.

TIMOTHY CLEWORTH Warrington