Posted on 11/23/2005 1:30:56 PM PST by jdege
By ADAM A. MEYERS Racine, Wis.
I am a police officer with the Racine Police Department and a part-time police officer for another community in Racine County. This is strictly my opinion and I am not speaking on behalf of the communities or law enforcement agencies that employ me.
The Wisconsin law against carrying a concealed firearm has worked effectively for over 130 years. Deciding to pass a concealed carry law in Wisconsin that will allow almost every adult to carry a concealed firearm is a potentially dangerous decision.
Carrying a concealed firearm and deciding to shoot another human being is different from what is perceived on television, in the movies or while playing a video game. Allowing Wisconsin residents to carry concealed firearms may not reduce crime. If anything, crime may increase and there will be, without a doubt, more firearms in our homes and on our streets.
I strongly support the ability for people to defend themselves, but I don’t believe that carrying a concealed firearm is the only way to accomplish this. There are a lot of responsibilities that come with carrying a concealed firearm and being able to effectively use it against someone in their self-defense or in the defense of another human being.
I agree that retired law enforcement professionals should be permitted to carry a concealed firearm as long as they follow state and federal laws and those policies presented to them by their former law enforcement agencies.
I believe that there is no credible evidence that carrying a concealed firearm reduces crime and that passing a concealed carry law in Wisconsin will do more harm than good.
translation...My grampa is a retired cop and my papa is about to retire and I just got my badge and I need them to protect me...
" in Alaska applicants for a Concealed Carry license take an intensive full week end course on the care and handling of a firearm, the legalities regarding its use, and marksmanship training."
Geezzz ... in NH you just drop by the Police office, fill out a one page sheet of paper with your name/address and 3 references. Give it to the secratary and in 3 days they call you to pick up your permit ... no pictures, no finger prints. Just a little piece of paper. Vermont has the best ... no permit needed period.
Then Officer ADAM A. MEYERS goes on to say...
"I believe that there is no credible evidence that carrying a concealed firearm reduces crime.."
Well, Officer ADAM A. MEYERS, which is it? Your arguments are based on "the one hand" and then "on the other hand". Just what is the difference between a trained lawful citizen and a retired LEO? Is a retired LEO more responsible than a citizen, or is that just your biased opinion, Officer Meyers?
Ever since 10 Los Angeles County Sheriff Deputies emptied more than 120 rounds from their service pistols into an unarmed suspects vehicle, wounding him non-fatally four times, I do not believe that law enforcement personel can lay claim to any special firearms knowledge or wisdom or restraint.
My son reported at incident last night at the Starbucks Coffee in the Eastlake area (east of Chula Vista, CA). He was sitting with 3 friends celebrating a birthday when 4 black males entered the store. They suddenly grabbed all the purses they could reach and ran out the door. A woman yelled for help just as the last guy cleared the door. My son and his friends gave chase. One thief made it to top the of the big dirt hill and escaped. Two others dropped the purses across the hillside they stripped money and cellphones out. Upon reaching the top of the hill, two of them turned around with shovels in hand. My son and his friends were unarmed. One of his friends didn't see the shovels in time and was hit across the back. He is currently hospitalized. The 4th thief was slower than the other 3 and was grabbed by my son. The police arrived and took charge. It took 3 discharges of a taser to subdue the captured thief sufficiently to cuff him and place him in a car for transport. There were more than 20 cops cars on the scene by the time the 4th guy was arrested. The two guys with shovels escaped. Starbucks and the nearby Target have security camera video of the incident.
I reminded my son that his heroics may have turned out poorly. The thieves may have been armed with guns or knives instead of grabbing shovels. His training as a Marine needs some augmentation with "street smarts".
I commend you for admitting this is strictly an 'opinion'/'feeling' piece -- and not predicated on any analysis of real data or statistics.
The Wisconsin law against carrying a concealed firearm has worked effectively for over 130 years.
Whatever that means...What might have worked 130 years ago doesn't mean it works today. Furthermore, I suspect the Wisconsin folk weren't all that afraid of guns back in 1875 and I suspect most of the folks had them...
Deciding to pass a concealed carry law in Wisconsin that will allow almost every adult to carry a concealed firearm is a potentially dangerous decision.
Sure, as is allowing adults to own knives, hammers, and power-tools. It is also a "potentially dangerous decision" to NOT allow concealed firearms. What do the statistics say? Want to quote Lott's study? Want to cite the 'increase' in violent crime in London after they 'banned guns'?
Carrying a concealed firearm and deciding to shoot another human being is different from what is perceived on television, in the movies or while playing a video game.
Yup ... and how is that relevant?
Allowing Wisconsin residents to carry concealed firearms may not reduce crime.
And maybe it will! What do the statistics say?
If anything, crime may increase and there will be, without a doubt, more firearms in our homes and on our streets.
Got a problem with the 2nd Amendment?
I strongly support the ability for people to defend themselves,
Well then -- what's the problem?
but I don’t believe that carrying a concealed firearm is the only way to accomplish this.
Yeah - "you think" (more like 'feel') ... what do the statistics say? What does common sense tell you? How do your feelings square with our inalienable rights defined in the Bill of Rights?
There are a lot of responsibilities that come with carrying a concealed firearm and being able to effectively use it against someone in their self-defense or in the defense of another human being.
Yes, there are many responsibilities that come with being an adult ... in driving a car ... in carrying scissors ... and yes, with carrying a concealed firearm...
I agree that retired law enforcement professionals should be permitted to carry a concealed firearm as long as they follow state and federal laws and those policies presented to them by their former law enforcement agencies.
Oh, I get it... Its OK for ME to carry a concealed firearm -- but not for the unwashed masses ... Its all clear now.
I believe that there is no credible evidence that carrying a concealed firearm reduces crime and that passing a concealed carry law in Wisconsin will do more harm than good.
I guess "credible evidence" = evidence that agrees with the author. And if doesn't agree (e.g., John Lott's studies; statistics from those states that allow concealed carry; experiences from those countries/cities that have banned firearm ownership; etc) -- it is not credible. The author of this article would be at home in the communist party (firearms only held by 'special folks'; snow people with 'feelings' and not deal with reality)...
I've heard of an occasional twitchy finger resulting in a double key tap and therefore a double entry, but... oh, my! Eight duplicate entries!
The dog was pounding with his front paws and clawing at the door. There was an iron security door over the front door that made the noise much louder. The dog ran up to the approaching police officers. It turned out to be friendly. I simply could not see who or what was on the other side of the door through the "peep" hole. It is positioned for human size vistors not dog sized ones.
He's just another idiot. I picked up more fire arms training with a much larger variety of weapons, in 7 years in the military, and another 35 years of being alive, than these jackbooted idiots get in two lifetimes. I'll carry when I damn well please, seeking no ones permission, thank you! Blackbird.
Otherwise, opinions from pro-criminal, low-IQ elitists like this jackass, ADAM A. MEYERS, are just so much hot air.
Racine cops are "elite?" That isn't an adjective commonly used to describe Racine cops.
Then again Racine is a small town with all the amenities* of a big city -- like Compton.
*amenities is defined as gang members and crack houses per square mile.
sadly though, police must carry when off duty. They're big targets for the street thug who got let out with short sentences or probation...
It is a fine coyote rifle. When I need to launch a .223 with accuracy, the Savage 12FV puts 10 rounds through the same hole a 100 yards without fail. The AR-15 is my preferred .223 semi-auto. I can manage under a 1 inch group with the iron sights with my Colt HBAR at 100 yards.
The mini-14 can be accurized with a heavier barrel and the gas port can be replaced with an adjustable version that allows tuning such that the brass drops at your feet instead of 10 yards away in the Ranch model. It can be made satisfactory for use by a SWAT sniper.
I vote for 'fresh out of the academy.' He does not express himself cogently or concisely enough to have any experience or maturity under his belt.
No! No! Wisconsin is different! And if you don't believe the anti-gunners - just ask them, they'll tell you...
Officer Meyers must have aspirations of becoming a Chief of Police.
When I did a study for a college report, the average response time to a 911 call was in excess of 17 minutes. Who is going to protect you if you do not protect yourself until the LEOs arrive?
Yes, well...the class is still available but no longer required. Anyone can carry concealed. I'd still recommend the class because as far as the police are concerned the CCL identifies the holder as one of the 'good guys.' Being a concealed carry licensee used to be kind of prestigious. Also, I enjoyed it.
Sorry, Officer ADAM A. MEYERS. .................. I was a Law Enforcement Officer for over 30 years…
I agree completely. I looked into buying a house from a San Diego PD cop in Mira Mesa in 1983. He simple could not handle living in the same community that he was assigned to police. He was constantly running into people that he had handled in the process of his duties as a LEO.
I support concealed carry for law abiding citizens including cops. We all have to live in communities with miscreants walking the streets. The bad guys outnumber the cops. The first two parties at a crime scene are the victim and the criminal. The cop shows up some time later....if at all.
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