HAMPSHIRE'S chief constable today said there were no plans to arm his officers with guns.

Paul Kernaghan spoke out after three more forces revealed they were considering using armed officers on routine foot patrols.

The move comes after Nottinghamshire police put bobbies on the beat, armed with Walther P990 automatic pistols, having been plagued by scores of drug-related shootings in the county.

Results of the pilot scheme show a sharp decline in the number of firearms offences across Nottinghamshire.

But today Hampshire Constabulary's top police officer said there were no plans to join Merseyside, South Yorkshire and Greater Manchester in considering implementing a similar project in Hampshire and the Isle of Wight.

Chief Constable Paul Kernaghan told the Daily Echo: "Fortunately the operational environment of the two counties is such that there are no plans to move to the routine arming of officers."

Hampshire Police Federation, which represents the force's 3,500 rank and file officers, agreed there was no need for local bobbies to have guns.

Chairman Alan Gordon said: "Where the need dictates, it is inevitable that the public will see armed officers routinely patrolling the streets.

"However at this time, those circumstances do not exist in Hampshire and I would like to think it will be a long time before our officers are routinely armed."

Sgt Gordon added: "We have a number of officers who carry firearms and the circumstances upon which those firearms are used or can be drawn are strictly controlled by senior management."

Codenamed Operation Real Estate, the Nottingham project involved the city council, community groups and police intelligence. The move represents a significant step towards having armed police officers walking British streets, which many politicians and senior police officers have resisted for decades.