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Miami Police Given Choice of Carrying Assault Rifles
NY Times ^ | September 17, 2007 | NA

Posted on 09/16/2007 8:54:03 PM PDT by neverdem

MIAMI, Sept. 16 (AP) — Patrol officers here will have the option of carrying assault rifles as they try to combat the rise in the use of similar weapons by criminals, the city’s police chief said Sunday.

The chief, John F. Timoney, approved the policy last week, before a Miami-Dade police officer was killed on Thursday in a shootout with a man wielding an assault rifle.

“This is something we do not do with any relish,” Chief Timoney said. “We do this reluctantly.”

The policy had been under review for about a year after officers began seeing an increase in the weapons in the hands of criminals, the chief said.

Officers interested in the guns will have to undergo two days of training and be certified in their use. The Police Department does not yet have money to buy the assault rifles, and if officers want to use them immediately they will have to pay for them, Chief Timoney said.

Years ago, law enforcement specialists like SWAT teams were the only officers to carry assault weapons, but now even some small town police agencies are arming officers with the AR-15, a civilian version of the military M-16 rifle.

Patrol officers in Danbury, Conn., have been allowed to carry the weapons since 2003. Police departments in Merced, Calif., and Waterloo, Iowa, have put them in all patrol vehicles for several years. In Stillwater, Okla., about 70 miles west of Tulsa, every patrol officer is issued an AR-15.

Officers in Los Angeles have been equipped with the weapons since a 1997 gunfight outside a bank where police officers were out-gunned by a man armed...

--snip--

The Miami Police Department said 15 of its 79 homicides last year involved assault weapons. This year, 12 of the 60 homicides have involved the high-power guns...

(Excerpt) Read more at nytimes.com ...


TOPICS: Crime/Corruption; Front Page News; Government; US: Florida
KEYWORDS: assaultweapons; banglist; donutwatch; labeet; miami; policestate
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1 posted on 09/16/2007 8:54:04 PM PDT by neverdem
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To: Travis McGee; Joe Brower; El Gato; Squantos
BANG!
2 posted on 09/16/2007 8:56:12 PM PDT by neverdem (Call talk radio. We need a Constitutional Amendment for Congressional term limits. Let's Roll!)
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To: neverdem
“This is something we do not do with any relish,” Chief Timoney said. “We do this reluctantly.”

He said it with a straight face no doubt.

3 posted on 09/16/2007 8:56:12 PM PDT by Texas Eagle (If it wasn't for double-standards, Liberals would have no standards at all.)
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To: neverdem

Sounds good to me.


4 posted on 09/16/2007 8:56:33 PM PDT by Vision ("Blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord, whose confidence is in him." Jeremiah 17:7)
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To: neverdem

If they believe they are facing a narco-terrorist insurgency, why don’t they call out the National Guard?

The military should respond to armies foreign and domestic.


5 posted on 09/16/2007 8:57:58 PM PDT by weegee (NO THIRD TERM. America does not need another unconstitutional Clinton co-presidency.)
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To: neverdem

So...exactly what is the Time’s definition of “Assault Rifle”, and “High Power Weapon”. They seem to be using the terms interchangeably in the last sentence.


6 posted on 09/16/2007 8:59:49 PM PDT by Sergio (If a tree fell on a mime in the forest, would he make a sound?)
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To: neverdem

Someone set up us the bomb.


7 posted on 09/16/2007 9:02:25 PM PDT by Sender ("Kill the terrorists, secure the border, and give me back my freedom.")
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To: neverdem
Let them carry one of these. The cartridge is absolutely excellent on car bodies and out to 500 yards effective. And all in this small package.


8 posted on 09/16/2007 9:02:46 PM PDT by Pistolshot (Every woman, who can, should learn to shoot, and carry a gun.)
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To: Pistolshot

9 posted on 09/16/2007 9:06:18 PM PDT by umgud
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To: neverdem

Timoney is extremely anti-gun and supported the Klinton AWBan , but yet now he finds it reasonable for his police to carry these “ evil weapons “ .

I love the irony of it all ....


10 posted on 09/16/2007 9:10:30 PM PDT by Neu Pragmatist (Stop Rudy - Vote Thompson)
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To: Sergio
So...exactly what is the Time’s definition of “Assault Rifle”, and “High Power Weapon”. They seem to be using the terms interchangeably in the last sentence.

It was an AP story. Regardless, the folks in the MSM are fairly clueless about all firearms.

11 posted on 09/16/2007 9:10:42 PM PDT by neverdem (Call talk radio. We need a Constitutional Amendment for Congressional term limits. Let's Roll!)
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To: neverdem

So how does this work? They keep it in their cruiser rack and deploy it when needed? Or go to every disturbing the peace call with a two point sling and 5.56 chest rig?


12 posted on 09/16/2007 9:12:20 PM PDT by happinesswithoutpeace (You are receiving this broadcast as a dream)
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To: umgud
The P90 is ok, I have problems with the stock/sights setup. You have to raise the stock so the point of the butt is in your shoulder not the entire butt and you have to bring your head down to the sights. Not a real good ergo rifle. The cartridge is lousy out passed about 200 yards. Not good on a car body either.

Mag changes are difficult under the best of circumstances. Fortunately, I get to put rounds through a lot of the new weapons. The 6.8 SPC is really impressive. I was surprised.

13 posted on 09/16/2007 9:12:31 PM PDT by Pistolshot (Every woman, who can, should learn to shoot, and carry a gun.)
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To: weegee

I tend to agree with you. Anyone who favors a more militarized police force please see New Orleans. They would probably just use their assault rifles to confiscate the Law abiding citizen’s cache, although I am a bit pessimistic.


14 posted on 09/16/2007 9:12:58 PM PDT by Xenophon450 (They say it's lonely at the top, then I am as lonely as can be.)
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To: PJ-Comix

Ping!


15 posted on 09/16/2007 9:15:25 PM PDT by Vision ("Blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord, whose confidence is in him." Jeremiah 17:7)
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To: happinesswithoutpeace

Every department I know keeps their rifles in a cruiser rack or in a case in the trunk.

I’ve got no problem with officers having access to the correct weapon for the job.


16 posted on 09/16/2007 9:16:07 PM PDT by MediaMole
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To: MediaMole

Thanks.


17 posted on 09/16/2007 9:17:02 PM PDT by happinesswithoutpeace (You are receiving this broadcast as a dream)
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To: Neu Pragmatist

Unfortunately, this is all too common amongst the authoritarian type. Government good, public bad.


18 posted on 09/16/2007 9:18:19 PM PDT by kenth
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To: Pistolshot

I have a T/C barrel for my G2 carbine in 6.8. Better trajectory/ballistics than the 30-30. I use it for deer.


19 posted on 09/16/2007 9:19:19 PM PDT by umgud
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To: MediaMole
The reality is that these police were gunned down after pulling over the assailant. If it was in the trunk they would still have been out of luck.

They need to go back to carrying shotguns in the front of the car. If it's too long then carry a collapsing stock version. HiStandard used to make a nasty looking bullpup shotgun.

That would ruin your day.

20 posted on 09/16/2007 9:26:46 PM PDT by USNBandit (sarcasm engaged at all times)
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