Helen's still too wary to say much, especially where her Sanctuary and staff are concerned, but she'll offer at least enough to keep them safe. "That's right," she answers cautiously. "Those of us who live around here are more than capable of defending ourselves. We simply prefer not being caught off guard." And by 'living around here' she means, of course, her staff in the Underground Sanctuary. The police in Old City might also count -- they at least know how to use guns -- but the citizens of the city would be unprotected. If Nepeta wants a different answer, she'll have to phrase it better.