If giving them the option to sacrifice their precious guns is so anathematic, they could just take the other option, thereby preserving allegiance to department policy. Your anger at the mere suggestion of them being treated like regular people is funny to me. Why, for instance invoke first the idea that they would be giving their gun “to” somebody?
How often do they use those things, anyway? They can’t take them off for lunch, really? They need them to testify in court? Why, otherwise they’ll be assassinated or someone will be taped right in front of them? When they go shift after shift, week upon month upon year without ever having to use it? Now, I realize there’s a deterrent effect, and even unused it is essential to project authority. But not at lunch. Other professions call for you to use tools every minute on the job; you don’t see firemen lugging hoses to lunch or construction workers carrying their power drills on their hips wherever they go.
This is not the Star Wars universe, and they are not Jedi Knights who must protect their lightsabers with their lives. Sounds to me more like a status thing. It’s part of their fancy pants uniform, and without it they’d be one of us mere mortals.
I am a regular person and I carry 24/7/365. So I do not even agree with your definition of a “regular” person. No special treatment for me either. I just obey the law and stay away from stupid people.
I didn't even read much of that post. When you call emergency personnel because you really need them you want them there with all the tools they need to get the job done. You want them there ASAP and the idea that they would have to stop and retrieve one of their primary safety and protection tools before they can respond is too stupid to continue discussing.
I hope that the LEO’s in your area are smart enough not to give up their weapons.
Have a nice life.