The impotence of the powerful: Recent British police weapons policy

Established social order is often maintained through the inertia of inaction rather than the overt exercise of power by those in dominant positions. However, theorists continue to assume that if actors feel compelled to abstain from action this must arise from the power wielded by others however subtly. This is an unnecessary assumption, since in some circumstances inaction may reflect the impotence of the actor rather than any externally imposed power. Such impotence may be felt not only by those in subordinate positions, but also by those in positions of apparent domination. This is illustrated by an analysis of the caution of police policy-makers with regard to weapons policy generally, and the deployment of armed response vehicles in particular.