The Highlands is wrestling with the controversial appearance of armed police officers on its streets as part of routine patrols. It is something new and shocking for many.
There was a time, of course, when armed police were never routinely seen on British streets.
Indeed, we were the envy of the world – especially in places where it was unsafe for police to venture out without a gun.
The UK was regarded as slightly eccentric, but it said a lot about the nature of British crime in the past.
How times have changed. We hardly bat an eye these days when we visit British airports and see officers with automatic weapons mingling with families who are going on holiday.
Armed police routinely patrol UK streets and have done so for a long time.
The ever-present threat of terrorism and the effects of some horrific, high-profile domestic gun crimes have changed perceptions for police and public.
Should the Highlands be made an exception? That is the question.
There was an extraordinary scene on Wednesday when armed police attended a Highland council meeting to explain the Police Scotland policy to councillors.
Councillors still intend to make an official protest, on the basis that the policy is unnecessary due to the Highlands’ safety record on gun crime.
The problem is, of course, that Police Scotland runs the risk of creating a huge problem for itself if it bowed to pressure, secured guns in police cars – and someone was shot dead in the Highlands because they were too slow to stop it.