[SteelCore]

I have to agree with shaggy. In fact, police have no business having ANY weapons that the average peace-loving Joe has trouble getting.

As for the MP5, it's great for what it is: a short-range weapon for use primarily against unarmored opponents (much like a shotgun). I greatly prefer a rifle myself.

By the way, I read a post by a British cop on another board who said that nearly all MP5's, G36's, etc., that you see the British police carrying have semi-auto-only trigger groups. I understand that many police in the US use semi-only trigger groups on their MP5's as well, at least on the ones in patrol cars. Even many FBI MP5's are semi-only, according to one article I read. I actually think it's a good idea, as police have no business "spraying and praying" and putting innocent lives at risk with stray bullets. You can shoot very fast on semi-auto anyway, and a lot more precisely -- although I can see how the 9mm's limited stopping power might make short bursts desirable for rapidly stopping an assailant. As far as burst-fire weapons go, the MP5 is definitely among the most controllable. And on semi-auto it's a lot more precise than a pistol, which is probably its main advantage for police work.