I was in town this morning and there was an air of sadness.

From where I was I saw several police cars, forensic vans and a large amount of police activity. Luton hasn't got the best reputation in the world and this only makes it worse.

Surely now the government has to do something about knife crime. It comes to something when people can't go about their daily life and do their jobs without being attacked.

This is such a tragedy, my thoughts are with the family.

We have brilliant police officers and very approachable and capable PCSOs. There is relatively little trouble in our town centre, especially considering the amount of clubs, pubs and outlets where alcohol is available.

The police are often (in my opinion unfairly) criticised, but we often forget that every time they attend a call they could be putting their lives at risk.

I'm a police officer holding a long-standing opposition of the routine arming of Bobbies on the street.

With this morning's developments in Luton I'm re-considering my view. I'm thinking that maybe I've been naive, maybe it is time to start "protecting the protectors".

Officers at the scene in Luton

The increasingly violent world in which we live and work is no match for a baton and a can of incapacitant spray, regardless of the amount of tact and verbal persuasion any officer may have.

Maybe the time has come to seriously look at equipping all police officers with firearms.

My sympathies go out to the family, friends and colleagues of yet another police officer murdered while carrying out the job he loved.

Although Luton has a reputation as being a very violent area nothing as serious as this has occurred for a long time.

Incidents such as this, which happen so close to home, are a stark reminder that towns are becoming more dangerous with knife and gun crimes constantly reported in the news.

The nature of this crime was so callous, I genuinely feel ashamed to say I have walked on the same streets as someone capable of robbing a child of his father.

I am 40-years-old and have lived in Luton all my life.

Unfortunately, Luton is becoming increasingly lawless and ordinary respectable citizens are frightened to walk along the streets for fear of being challenged or attacked.

Decent people are leaving the town in droves, and the gangs and criminals are moving in.

Luton is now a very unpleasant, nasty place to live.

As a serving police officer, I am truly saddened by the news that a fellow officer has been killed protecting the public.

We serve the public, and protect them on a daily basis because it is what we love to do.

The only consolation from this is that he died protecting a member of the public, his duty.

I feel awful for his family, but his little girl will grow up knowing her father died a hero, not just to the general public, but to his colleagues up and down the British Isles.

Surely it is time we re-evaluated how police officers protect themselves.