But given the fact that police have access to FA firearms, how would it work out if you bought a FA say, M4 as an officer, but retired? Would the BATFE let you actually keep it (FA)? What do you mean by "loose the weapon"?
Folks, here it is, plain and simple.
We, as law enforcement officers are REQUIRED to follow the same laws as you do. Hard to believe, isn't it? But, it's true.
Remember when the CA Assault Weapons Ban was in the news? The main story was how one day, they told their citizens that the SKS was legal--then, the next day, it was NOT.
Does anyone remember that it was well publicized that cops lost their JOBS because they had registered SKS's--and that possession of a banned weapon in CA is a FELONY?
In answer to the quote above--no.
Individual officers can NOT purchase full auto on their own with any hope of keeping it.
We CAN purchase them with Department approval for duty use. HOWEVER, once we leave that Department, the only hope we have is to have the ownership of the weapon transferred to another Department. You see, even though we pay the tariff, the Department is the LEGAL OWNER. If this does not occur, WE LOSE THE WEAPON. PERIOD. FULL STOP.
The law does NOT recognize occupation when it comes to ownership of regulated firearms such as full auto. If I wanted to buy an MG or SMG to keep as personal property, I would have to:
1. Acquire the tax stamp and fill out the paperwork, just like the rest of my fellow American citizens,
2. Buy ONLY a pre 1986 registered full auto, and...
3. Move out of Washington State. OWNERSHIP OF FULL AUTO IS PROHIBITED BY THE REVISED CODE OF WASHINGTON...except if the weapons were properly purchased and registered by a certain date that has LONG since passed.
So, get this through your heads.....
We ARE not exempt from the law! We can carry firearms on duty and are required in most cases to carry them OFF duty--but when it comes to the stuff with the go-fast switch, we have NO special privileges.