Posted on 07/04/2007 2:36:41 PM PDT by pabianice
Falmouth, MA, Police Chief David Cusolito is out of a job. Since becoming Falmouths Chief of Police in 1997, Cusolito has continuously been in the news because of his reported hostile attitude towards the publics right to self-defense and his general antipathy to citizens gun rights. His tenure has been marked by an ongoing controversy regarding firearms use and ownership -- even by his own police officers. In one case, he demanded that all sworn town police officers also obtain a state civilian license to carry firearms before he would allow them to carry weapons in the line of duty. Cusolito said he was asserting his authority to continue the policy that required all officers to have a state-issued license to carry a firearm. When Falmouth patrolmen replied that they had a right to carry a gun by virtue of their badge, a right also sanctioned by state law, the Falmouth Police Federation filed a complaint with the state Labor Relations Commission arguing that Cusolito's edict was prohibited by their contract.
More troublesome is Cusolitos unilateral decision to not issue or renew any licenses to carry concealed firearms to any of the towns residents. In violation of state law, Cusolito included in every LTC application extra material that, in part, stated that he did NOT, under any circumstances, issue a license to carry a concealed firearm (NOTE: WE DO NOT ISSUE ANY LICENSES FOR ALL LAWFUL PURPOSES), in violation of Massachusetts law (bad enough under the infamous Chapter 180 of the Laws of 1998). His packet also informed applicants that if they wished to get a license issued for Personal Protection, the applicant would be summoned before the Chief to convince the Chief why Cusolito should honor such a request and prove that the applicants life was in danger. As one might expect, this policy not only kept people from moving to Falmouth but also did not go down well with people already living in the town who had held licenses for 30 or 40 years. A town official who requested anonymity told The Nav Log that the chiefs dictatorial attitude regarding honoring the Second Amendment had rightfully infuriated both the towns lawful gun owners and the local shooting ranges several hundred members as well as the citizenry in general and was a major reason Cusolitos contract was not renewed.
Word comes that Cusolito, upon learning that he was being replaced, chose to resign. A new Chief of Police is expected to be in place by September of this year. His gun policy remains unknown.
Perhaps we can chalk one up for the Constitution.
A gift to the ghosts at Lexington Green, and Concord Bridge. God rest you.
We have a number of boxes to use in the defense of liberty
The soap box
The ballot box
and lastly, the cartridge box.
This is what the Declaration of Independence is about.
Just say NO to any and all such arrogant, elitist, UN-AMERICAN, anti-freedom jack-booted thugs, be they vying for law enforcement positions, or...
running for President of the United States (FU RUDY 2008!).
We need to start electing representative that reverse this system and continually introduce legislation requiring gun ownership or other other new "laws" that give libs the vapors.
Time they spent their time worrying about what we're doing.
Bump for another small victory.
How did the idiot stay in office since 1997?
Government "from the consent of the governed." In this case it was from the denial of the governed.
Ya-sir!
"Show me just what Mohammed brought that was new, and there you will find things only evil and inhuman, such as his command to spread by the sword the faith he preached." - Manuel II Palelologus
Usually the police chief simply parrots what the mayor believes.
When I read the headline, I said to myself, “Self, no way is this story from Massachusetts.” Sometimes I’m glad to wrong.
Cool ,I love that idea!
Concord supposedly has a gun grabber as it’s Police cheif as well.
I would think she’d put Waco Reno back in!
Leave that one out, it doesn't work any more. Ask Libby.......
Massachusetts is a “may issue” state for handguns. The law is so gray that many police chiefs (who have the ultimate say under state law) will not issue a LTC for “all lawful purposes”. Come to Springfield MA sometime. The Springfield COP will not issue, but the next town over, Monson COP, will issue. Therefore, if you live in Monson, you can carry in Springfield or most of the state except Boston, while if you’re from Springfield, you are not legally allowed to carry concealed anywhere in the state.
And....just recently, the state legislature changed the LTC to restrict any firearm usage unless specifically noted, where as before, the license listed “reason to issue” on your LTC, which was gray enough under the law that you could carry because, after all, the license was for LTC, and didn’t specify what type of carry.
And....I read here on this forum that most states allow open carry, even MA, but I have never tried it. They probably would call it brandishing, which is illegal.
So......even though the MA state contitution allows the right to bare arms, and predates the Bill of Rights, you would be lucky not to be arrested for some type or firearm offense if you carried concealed or open, whether handgun or longgun.
P.S. I have also heard that under the new license, as I stated above, if I shot someone, even in my home (and of course in fear for my life only), they could arrest me because my LTC did not specifically state I could use it for self defense.
We are pushing for a law here in Texas that if for any reason you are FIRED from a department you lose your certification and your ability to reclaim it in the state of Texas. It would be nice if there was a conus wide effort to make sure these folks who get fired don’t show up with the same agenda, grudge, mindset at a different department .
Too many smaller department etc etc get these POS losers and IMO criminally insane SOB’s in leadership positions or higher due their big city , big department experiences and time as a LEO etc .......
This and other polidiots or their appointees like him need to be banned from making decisions for any other person other than themselves.........Pure crap for such as this idiot to try and do to law abiding folks.......
Good riddance to an an*l retentive control freak with a Napoleon complex who should never have been hired in the first place. Unfortunately, there are countless more just like him throughout the Commonwealth - and around the nation.
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