SCOTLAND's armed officers felt under huge pressure as controversy raged over the visibility of weapons.
House admitted criticism of them doing their work had hurt.
He said: "There was a picture of two of our officers published this summer as they were dealing with an old lady who had hurt herself falling over on a bus.
"They were armed. The reason they are dealing with it is they see it happen and they ... help. They then have somebody taking pictures on their mobile phone and interviewing them for a newspaper. What were they supposed to do? Drive past? That is not what we expect of our police officers.
"I think it does get personal. And I think they feel that. I am hoping we are getting past that."
House talked of the bravery of such officers, including an incident when one was stabbed four times on Edinburgh's Princes Street disarming a man with a knife. House added: "For no extra money they take huge reasonability on behalf of the public."
The Police Firearms Officers Association said it "fully backs Chief Constable Sir Stephen House and the Scottish Police Federation in their views about armed policing within Scotland. It not only provides proportionate support and protection to the public but for our unarmed colleagues too".
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