The sight of armed police patrolling Brighton Station (The Argus, August 5) may be intended to reassure the public but I would like to know who exactly they are proposing to shoot with these cumbersome military-style weapons.

In the event that a potential terrorist was sighted getting on a train, these officers would surely be handicapped by such heavy guns if giving pursuit.

Would it not make more sense to issue police with holstered side-arms as is done in most other countries?

-Bryan Childers, Brighton