Shore police want people to stop carrying toy guns that appear real

News 12 ^ | 12/03/03

[yonif]

(12/03/03) WALL - Police in Wall Township say fake guns are creating a serious problem for law enforcement officers in the community. In the past few months, police say they have seen an increase in the number of people carrying toy guns that appear real. Officers are afraid the fake guns may cause them to discharge their weapon on a suspect that is actually unarmed. Wall police have already confiscated five imitation guns including two that belonged to children. In nearby Barnegat, two teenage girls recently robbed a bank after painting the tip of a fake gun so that it appeared even more real.

The phony plastic guns are easy to obtain because they are relatively inexpensive, costing as little as $20. To make matters worse, Wall police say 150 fake guns were stolen from a local shopping center. So far, they have only recovered 57.

The Monmouth County Prosecutor's office is reportedly fighting to have the imitation weapons classified as handguns, which would require a permit.

[Arkinsaw]

Is there a law against individual citizens having a fake gun? If not, why are they being confiscated and where did the authority to confiscate come from?

[LibWhacker]

Grrrr . . . What is it with much of the present crop of LE pu***** that they are completely unable to deal with the existence of toy guns (not to mention real guns, the individual possession of which The Constitution guarantees) as did their predecessors the last 250 years? It does seem that half of these guys are not qualified to wear the uniform. News bulletin to that half: You were hired to protect us, our children and our way of life, not the other way around. If you're not happy with our way of life and are unable to accept the minimal risks associated with your job, go flip burgers! There are a lot of proud Americans who actually want your job and would be honored to serve the public in that capacity.

[Atlas Sneezed]

Why don't the cops just pretend the guns are real guns, and that the citizens that pay their salaries still have their right to keep and bear arms?

[longtermmemmory]

what are the education requirement for a street cop? I get the impression it is a "highsckool" diploma and a six week police accademny.

[mvpel]

Up here in the "Live Free or Die" State, I wear a real gun that appears real on my hip every time I leave the house, and I've yet to be shot by a police officer, particularly since I don't make a habit of waving it around.

[longtermmemmory]

why do you wear a gun "cowboy" style? Is this in a rural or city area?

If you did that in a city area the lefties would have to fight each other to call the police on you first.

[LibWhacker]

Yep, I think that used to be standard for most departments, and may still be. But a cop friend of mine told me that some of them actually require a college degree now. I think that's the case in Davis, CA, e.g., a college town.

[mvpel]

I wear it exposed because I don't yet have a CCW in New Hampshire, having just moved here from California a couple of weeks ago. Quite simple, really. I was at the Mall of New Hampshire in Manchester last night, does that count as a "city" area?

Aside from a few "hairy eyeballs" (now I know what women with nice... er... "curves" must feel like) there wasn't a stampede to the phones. Might be because there's so few real leftists up here in New Hampshire. Another reason I moved to this state...