MOST COUNTRIES ANSWERING THE QUESTIONNAIRE GIVE ALL POLICE THE RIGHT TO BE ARMED, AND ONLY 14 RESTRICT ARMS TO CERTAIN POLICE CATEGORIES. HOWEVER, SOME OF THOSE GRANTING ALL POLICE THE RIGHT TO BE ARMED CONFINE AUTHORIZATION TO THE TIME ON DUTY. COUNTRIES RESTRICTING FIREARMS AUTHORIZE THEM IN CRIME INVESTIGATION AND PROTECTION WORK OR FOR HIGH-RANKING OFFICERS. FEW COUNTRIES HAVE PRECISE STATISTICS ON HOW FREQUENTLY POLICE USE FIREARMS IN ARRESTS, BUT 43 REPORT THAT SUCH USE IS EXCEPTIONAL. MOST COUNTRIES HAVE NO SPECIFIC LAWS ON FIREARMS USE DURING ARRESTS, ALTHOUGH MOST DO HAVE REGULATIONS OF LAWS GOVERNING THE USE OF FIREARMS BV POLICE. IN GENERAL, POLICE MAY USE FIREARMS IN SELF-DEFENSE OR IN A LAWFUL ARREST OR TO COUNTER RESISTANCE AND PREVENT ESCAPE, OR UNDER COURT ORDER. ALTHOUGH 12 COUNTRIES REPORT NO SPECIAL PROCEDURE IN USING FIREARMS, MOST OTHERS REQUIRE OFFICERS TO FIRST REVEAL THEIR IDENTITY OR FIRE WARNING SHOTS. COUNTRIES QUESTIONED AUTHORIZED PISTOLS, RIFLES, AND SUBMACHINE GUNS OF MANY DIFFERENT TYPES. IN MANY COUNTRIES, POLICE COULD NOT FIRE AT MINORS OR AT THOSE COMMITTING MINOR OFFENSES. MOST COUNTRIES ALSO REQUIRED AN AUTOMATIC INQUIRY WHEN A POLICE OFFICER USED A FIREARM. DISCIPLINE, COURT PENALTIES, OR CIVIL ACTION MAY FOLLOW THE WRONG USE OF FIREARMS IN ALMOST ALL COUNTRIES, AND 57 OF THE 64 INSTRUCTED OFFICERS IN FIREARMS USE. ONLY 21 COUNTRIES REPORTED SATISFACTION WITH THEIR CURRENT FIREARMS REGULATIONS. COMMENTS ON REGULATIONS AND DESIRED POLICE OFFICER CHARACTER TRAITS ARE INCLUDED. TABLES AND APPENDIXES ARE INCLUDED.