It doesn't reassure me at all when I see flak-jacketed policeman pacing around in pairs, with lots of bits of metal sticking out of them which are obviously meant to give the impression they're armed. In fact, it rather frightens me - will I get caught in the cross-fire? I do not believe that having lots of macho-looking police around on the streets protects us from crime to any significant extent. In my view, the police would be better employed collecting and analysing intelligence about the sort of people who might commit this sort of attack and keeping tabs on them.