Posted on 01/25/2013 8:58:18 AM PST by qaz123
Just putting something out there to the the folks of FR, who tend to be a bit smarter than your average Joe. And to all the folks that have a tendency to start the whole, "all you cop bashers suck", try to be fair. I've in law enforcement for over 15 years. I believe strongly in the 2nd Amendment. I also do not think I am any smarter, responsible or skilled than any other gun owner who has taken the time to train and know their weapon. Anywho.....
Here's my question:
Why is it, that active and retired law enforcement officers/agents/corrections, are the only ones given special treatment and exempted with regards to gun legislation?
Are we all to assume that ONLY those with those types of credentials are SMART ENOUGH and RESPONSIBLE ENOUGH to be allowed to carry a weapon to protect themselves and others.
I read an article the other day and some type of retired Captain of NYPD was quoted on the new NYS laws. He described a "clip". There is no such thing as a "clip" with regards to semi automatic weapons. The device is called a "magazine".
I, or anyone, can go to any weekend ISPSC, USPSA, or IDPA match and observe Joe Six Pack, outshoot any cop in the country. I know that because I am one of the few, if not the only member of law enforcement that regularly attends such matches. On occasion, cops show up one time, but after getting embarrassed by some plumber, orthodontist or computer programmer, the cops never show up again. And in many cases, Joe Six Pack probably knows the law better.
And lets not forget the two sharpshooters outside the Empire State Bldg. not so long ago that shot 9 people, in the lower legs and feet, from about 10 feet away. Those are Bloombergs "professionals" that should be the only ones allowed to carry.
Just wondering what others on here think.
In all professions there are people of honor and people not so much.
I’d call a cop before I called a liberal.
My guess is they don't want to be out gunned if and when the time comes.
Its about kickbacks in return for support, control, govt is god, cops are gun experts, self control and initiative are bad, etc etc, Take your pick. We don’t live in an adult society any more which is why we’re having this conversation.
There is a training aspect. The whole shoot-don't shoot thing that is taught and reinforced during your career.
But as far as legislators are concerned, I think they exempt you to keep their gun control supporters (police chiefs) on their side.
Sometimes they screw up - witness New York not exempting LEOs on the magazine thing.
But some training and a great deal of real life experience is much more important. Having the judgment in a potentially dangerous situation with only limited facts and time to react in the safest possible way is the key.
The targets at the range don't shoot back at you.
The ‘shoot-don’t shoot’ aspect is there. However, I’ve been around some dumb ones that can’t even complete a sentence.
But that guy in Oregon had the sense to make the “shoot don’t shoot’ decision correctly.
the same thing happens with former military.
all soldiers are not firearm experts or marksman. very few even shoot except for annual qualification. (might be different no given the current type of war).
all sailors are not expert small boat handlers. hell the only water a submariner on a boomer sees during deployment is the bug juice machine and what he passes.
Point taken.
But are they more qualified than say a grunt from the 82nd Airborne, that did 4 or 5 rotations.
Are they more qualified than the thousands of retired SpecOps-Delta-SEAL’s-and any other close combat unit you can name. Those guys got shot at, blown up, shot down, etc etc etc.? Those guys aren’t exempted.
And, to go a bit further, those are the guys that every F**king SWAT team in America tries to emulate. I’m a bit passionate on this subject.. My bad.
My take is that these people have had a lot of exposure to criminals and have had threats made on their lives by those criminals. In our society where we tend to let a lot of violent people out of correction centers at times in their lives when they WILL re-offend, so it makes sense to allow retired LEO to have firearms for self defense.
While I am not in LE, I have as an engineer helped with the upgrade and design of several correction centers and involuntary commitment mental health facilities. The inmate population in most has a very violence-prone culture and those who work there have to be “harsh” in the way they treat the inmates otherwise they will be in danger and walked all over. I would assume that the same is true in dealing with these criminals before they are convicted and out on the streets.
I have no problem with allowing retired LEO automatic concealed carry rights, as long as honest law abiding people also have reasonable access to concealed carry and firearms for self protection.
I was taught the same business that they are the good guys but any more that just doesn’t apply. I take it on a case by case basis. Frankly, most just dont have the temperament to be a good peace officer. Most have delicate egos which causes problems w/ the community and in their personal lives.
Correct. And I guess that kind of supports my point.
It doesn’t matter what you do or have done. Just because someone decided to become a cop, doesn’t make them any more qualified than anyone else.
I was a cop in Atlanta. Most of the folks took the job for the paycheck and the pension. I was a firearms instructor there. There were a few that shot regularly, but that happened when they were rookies. Most just shot once a year. And it wasn’t uncommon to have to show veterans how to take their pistols apart for cleaning.
“Why is it, that active and retired law enforcement officers/agents/corrections, are the only ones given special treatment and exempted with regards to gun legislation? “
Easy Answer:
The vast majority of “Law Enforcement Officers” in this Country have been conditioned to respond to Politicians and their Unions, and the people be damned. For the most part they will Violate the Law and any Citizen’s right when ordered to regardless of whether it is right or wrong, criminal or not, we Know they will do this because they are not even Qualified to negotiate their own salary or benefits, let alone Stand on their own when they see wrongdoing. They are Puppets of the Politicians that bark out their orders, they act with reckless disregard for the basic freedoms and liberties of the Citizens they are Hired to TAX. This was different 40 or so years ago when they were “Peace Officers” charged with keeping the peace, that is when I had respect for the Police, but since the early 70’s it has gone downhill fast, as far as I am concerned I have more faith and trust in the average Gang Member to be Honest and Truthful. Now I realize this is a General statement but I believe it holds true for 95% of the “Law Enforcement Officers” in this Country, maybe you are the exception, but then again maybe not.
Let us not forget what happens in virtually every Police Department across the country when one of their own is caught dead to rights being an out and CRIMINAl, the entire force backs them up and makes excuses for them, the Politicians and DA’s then do their part by allowing them to resign with FULL PENSION, further cementing their psychological hold on the very lives of the Officers under them.
Just look at the 2 most recent cases of Murder by a Police officer, Fullerton,Ca. Kelly Thomas case, the ENTIRE dept and the politicians stood behind them and still do to this day after at least 4 rogue thugs BEAT HIM TO DEATH. The DA saw fit to charge only 2 of them so far, completely disregarding the Felony Murder Rule, and Did not charge either with MURDER, Instead a version of Manslaughter, they ALL SHOULD CHARGED. Next Long Beach, CA. Doug Zirby, He was drunk, sitting in an “ENCLOSED” courtyard NOT VISIBLE to the Public, when an old blind man in an upstairs unit next door called 911 and said it “looks like he has a six shooter”, The Police showed up, sneaked into neighboring yards and took COVER then without warning or notice, never even bothering to make contact, they EXECUTED HIM IN COLD BLOOD while in FEAR FOR THEIR LIVES while hiding in the Bushes, from a Man holding a garden hose that was drunk and had NO IDEA THEY WERE THERE, even if he Had a Gun in his Hand, HE WOULD HAVE BEEN VIOLATING NO LAWS, It is Perfectly Legal to Have a firearm on Private Property. THe ENTIRE Long Beach Police Dept still to this day, Stand Behind these Murderers, as well as the Political Ruling Class. Hell the DA Steve Cooley, even said the Police Have the Right to EXECUTE anyone they fear without recourse, regardless if the Fear is real or made up after the fact. I suppose we could talk about New Orleans after hurricane Katrina when the “Law Enforcement Officers” began Shooting Unarmed Citizens for no reason, and of Course The Entire dept is still on their side.
So the answer is simple YOU WILL DO THEIR BIDDING FOR YOUR OWN SELF INTEREST AND SURVIVAL WITHOUT QUESTION, Just like the SS and the Gestapo. It is and has been demonstrated on a regular basis for quite some time now. “Law Enforcement Officers” are by definition MORALLY BANKRUPT and will NEVER HOLD THEMSELVES OR THEIR FELLOW OFFICeRS to the SAME STANDARDS they are CHARGED WITH ENFORCING on the TAXPAYERS BY THEIR MASTERS.
Maybe they just see a gun as part of their uniform or one of the many tools that they use on the job. Actually, since the is nearly zero violent crime here, I would think their gun rarely leave their holsters.
The members that use the range regularly are their because they want to be there and they enjoy shooting.
Thanks for your (very honorable) service by the way!
“The cop works for Joe Sixpack “
What planet are you on??the Police work exclusively for the POLITICIANS THAT HIRED THEM, their main function in Every Big City is to TAX THE CITIZENS using Citations that CANNOT be CHALLENGED. A Police Officer HAS NO DUTY to PROTECT THE PUBLIC, only the GOVERNMENT, look it up.
We immediatly saw the light come on in some of their eyes.
Small things like that can make a big difference when you are sitting on the witness stand.
I posted this previously on another post.
Excerpt from the rapper KRS1 song
Sounds of da Police
“Overseer, overseer, overseer, overseer
Officer, Officer, Officer, Officer, yeah, officer from overseer
You need a little clarity? Check the similarity
The overseer rode around the plantation
The officer is off patroling all the nation
The overseer couldn’t stop you what you’re doing
The officer will pull you over just when he’s pursuing
The overseer had the right to get ill
And if you fought back, the overseer had the right to kill
The officer has the right to arrest
And if you fight back they put a hole in your chest
Woop, they both ride horses
After 400 years, I’ve got no choices
The police them have a little gun
So when I’m on the streets, I walk around with a bigger one”
Your question is a reasonable one. But you set some important conditions. First is the question of training and practice. As a practical matter, a civilian who puts in the training and practice time can be as effective or more so than most LEOs. I’ve had the misfortune to work with LEOs who were deliberately and proudly ignorant regarding firearm proficiency. They took perverse pride in shooting just the minimum score to qualify. Thankfully these slugs are few and getting fewer but they do exist.
Second is a question of screening and selection. Theoretically, LEOs go through psychological tests and background checks to weed out the nuts. Obviously, this system still misses quite a few. Plus I am convinced that the increasingly militaristic training regimens used by too many academies create mind numbed robots instead of professionals who can think on their feet.
So in comparing any two, civilian vs LEO, there is no reason to automatically think the LEO would be better qualified to be armed. But when we look at a macro, on average across a population, one would have to think that a population of folks who were held to some standards of selection, screening, fitness, proficiency, training and supervision would be - on average - better suited to carry.
That having been said, I absolutely support the right of private citizens to be armed. But the right confers a responsibility to be fit, mature, proficient and sober if you are going to carry.
Let’s ALL be careful out there.
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