If AW's are a serious threat to law enforcement officers...

[-..__...]

then why aren't the police in Maryland supporting a ban on them?

Compromise offered on gun ban measure

Sen. John A. Giannetti Jr., the swing vote on a proposal to ban 45 assault weapons beginning when the federal ban expires this year, is offering middle ground between legalizing the firearms and banning them outright.

His idea: enact an identical state version of the federal ban on 19 semiautomatic weapons.

A Democrat representing Prince George's and Anne Arundel counties, Giannetti called his proposal "a reasonable compromise."

Giannetti said that he offered the amendment to the proposed ban after learning at a packed hearing this week that both the Fraternal Order of Police and the Maryland State Police opposed the bill.

More...


Md. lawmakers hear gun-ban testimony

For state lawmakers, gun-control advocates, police commissioners and even candidates stumping for president, when it comes to the issue of banning assault weapons, 1-in-5 is the magic number.

Democratic presidential primary front-runner Sen. John Kerry of Massachusetts uses the statistic. So does the Episcopal Church of America. And in Annapolis, where a Senate committee heard testimony yesterday from all sides on a proposed assault weapons ban, supporters quoted the statistic verbatim: "One in five law enforcement officers killed in the line of duty is killed with an assault weapon."

There's just one problem with the ratio, according to gun rights advocates: It isn't true.

8< .... Snip


Though 70 state senators and delegates back the bill, gun shop owners, hunting groups, and assorted police organizations rejected the ban and the statistic.

Lt. Col. Steven. T. Moyer of the Maryland State Police -- which opposes prohibiting the sale, transfer and ownership of semi-automatic weapons -- told committee members that of the 50 rifle-related deaths in the state over the past decade, none of them were officers.


More...


However (as per usual), it's the police chiefs (dunces and Brady shills like chief Charles Moose), whom the anti-gunners claim represent the voice and opinion of law enforcement officers.

Howard County Police Chief G. Wayne Livesay, president of the Maryland Chiefs of Police, one of the few law enforcement organizations supporting the ban, agreed.

"It's our responsibility to protect our officers on the street, and that's why we're here," Livesay testified.

Does management know something the rank-and-file doesn't? Or is just an ego or power trip sort of thing?

[MrSandman]

1. Maybe they just don't know what is good for them...

Analagous to the politicians who would ban the common folk's guns while they have access to protection.

The chief's, who jobs are at least somewhat politically dependent, align themselves with the politicians while the rank-and-file are more honest.

[alwynsw]

2. B-b-b-b-b-but golly, Mr. D_S

WE all know those evil AW's are leaving carnage in the streets os America. DOn't we? I mean, I justknow I've seen that somewhere. ...or was it a movie?

[-..__...]

4. B-b-b-b-b-but, there's more!

LEGISLATION OPPOSED
by the Grand Lodge, Fraternal Order of Police

# H.R. 124 (Holt, D-NJ), the "Handgun Licensing and Registration Act," would require the licensing and registration of all handguns with the Federal government;

http://www.grandlodgefop.org/legislation/oppose.html


PROPOSED ASSAULT WEAPONS BAN RE-AUTHORIZATION LEGISLATION

February 7, 2003

Dear IBPO Local President:

Attached please find a summary of the re-authorization of the 1994 assault weapons ban as proposed by Senator Feinstein. I have also enclosed for your reference a copy of the California assault weapons ban summary.

IBPO was joined by representatives from the FOP, National Sheriff's Association, International Police Chief's Association, Police Executive Research Forum, and the National Organization of Black Law Enforcement Executives in a meeting Tuesday hosted by Senator Feinstein in an effort to garner the support of various Law Enforcement agencies.

Please advise your respective membership of the aforementioned proposal. It is our hope to respond to Senator Feinstein with comments, concerns and/or endorsements within two weeks.

http://www.ibpo.org/press.html#weapons

February 7, 2003! Nowhere on the FOP site have I seen a response or endorsement of the legislation... maybe they're still mulling over it? :)

http://www.mdstatefop.org/legislative.html

HB-0456
Firearms Offenses - Project Exile
Support

HB-0652
Public Safety - Handguns - Integrated Mechanical Safety Device Requirement Repeal
Support

SB-0318
Criminal Law - Use of a Firearm in the Commission of Crime of Violence or a Felony
Support


Now, granted there are some pieces of proposed legislation that are a bit self-serving or selfish.

HB-0506
Public Safety - Wearing, Carrying or Transporting Handgun Prohibition - Exceptions for Federal Government Police Agencies
Support

HB-0587
PG County - Handguns - Sale by Law Enforcement Agencies to Officers
Support

I can understand why the MD FOP would support it. If someone offers you something to your benefit, the natural response is to take it... even if it is unfair to others. This sort of legislation is popular with the anti-gun crowd; offer the cops something or grant them "exemptions" from firearms legislation that other civilians have to comply with.

Examples are exemptions for both active duty and retired officers owning assault weapons and hi-capacity magazines, CCW regulations, exemptions from "smart gun" technology (ironic that the concept was originally conceived with police in mind), exemptions from owning or purchasing firearms that haven't met certain state safety standards (somehow a certain handgun can be safer for cops, but not other people).

The anti-gun types need the support of the cop-on-the-street in order to push their agenda before Congressional committees and the public.

To achieve that they offer enticements and concessions to LEO's hoping that in return that they'll get their support.

Personally, I know quite a few lower ranking beat cops. I know them from my job as a firefighter and the ones I know at my gun club. I have yet to meet one that agreed with current gun-control policy or that law abiding citizens shouldn't be allowed the right to own firearms unless there was over reaching legislation. It's usually when they reach a certain position up the ladder that their heads get stuck up their ass.

[skippythwndrdog]

3. Maybe because they know that AW's are not a threat?

Look alike and so-called AW's are another matter, but then, so are Louisville Sluggers.

Glaad I live where I can own about anything I want that shoots.

[-..__...]

5. Which one are you referring too?

The soccer mom friendly one?



Or the black "post-ban" (sans bayonet lug), one?



And look... they even have a "youth" category!

http://www.slugger.com/TPX_BASEBALL/WOODBATS/TPXC271.HTML

Sickening, isn't it? :)

[alwynsw]

6. Too funny!

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7. Pre-ban version.

Free time is a wonderful thing to waste. :D

[alwynsw]

8. The really good thing is:

They make them in sizes down to 12 inches, so you can bring junior up right by starting him out early.

(I learned that while touring the Louisville Slugger Museum in Louisville last fall. Brought a couple home.)

[-..__...]

9. Now that you mention it....

Not all baseball bats in the hands of children are harmless.

http://www.s-t.com/daily/12-96/12-13-96/a01lo004.htm

The boy -- who will be a 24-year-old man before he is even eligible for parole -- lowered his eyes in silence, another teen-age statistic in what authorities call the ever-growing aftermath of domestic violence. Jamie Pauline beat his mother's unconscious boyfriend to death with an aluminum baseball bat in a city park after she claimed the man beat her and then made disparaging remarks about the child's dead father.


http://www.fortunecity.com/millennium/bigears/911/

On November 20th, 1986, our son, Shaun Ouillette, was taken into the woods in Canton, MA and beaten to death with a baseball bat. His classmate said he wanted to know what it felt like to kill someone.

Blame the bats, blame the guns, blame the manufacturers... just don't blame the person(s) responsible.

Responsibility begins at home, and if the parents are incapable or unknowledgeable, then proper education should be taught in school.

Unfortuantly, the anti-gun people don't want that... to unpolitically correct and sends the wrong message. Or as some would have us belive "indoctrination and recruitment by the NRA". Never mind that kids are being killed by other kids. The anti-gunners solution is unworkable and "feel good" legislation rather then education.

Just a few examples of proper parenting and teaching children responsible firearms ownership.




http://www.riflescopes.com/store/viewhero.asp?entry=132



http://www.riflescopes.com/store/viewhero.asp?entry=52



http://www.massrifle.com/JuniorWebPage.htm

[MrSandman]

11. I gunproof my children also

[jhfenton]

12. Collapsible stocks...

are very important on assault bats. They allow players of varying sizes to comfortably use a single assault bat with a simple adjustment.

I don't have much use for the other assault bat features, though. :) It's too easy to hit an innocent catcher with the bayonet.

[DonP]

13. ROTFLMAO

You have way too much time on your hands.

I love the ABB, Assault Baseball Bat. Are those allowed in Maryland? Are they limited to a magazine with no more than 5 balls?

[Township75]

10. My guess would be...

that they are the ones working the streets, whereas the chiefs are not. So the grunts get to witness first hand the blood running in the streets at the hands' of AWs....and since there isn't much, they don' support the ban.