Boston Mayor Rejects Idea to Arm Police Officers With Military Assault Weapons

Status
Not open for further replies.
P

peyton

Member
Joined
Apr 20, 2006
Messages
661
I thought the police were trusted by local elected authorities? The reason I posted this was because I saw the article states the military is giving away M16's? With the happy switch!! Can I join the force??

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,523388,00.html

Boston Mayor Rejects Idea to Arm Police Officers With Military Assault Weapons
Saturday, May 30, 2009


Print BOSTON — The Boston Police Department wants to arm neighborhood patrol officers with high-powered military assault weapons, but the mayor doesn't think it's such a good idea.

Boston Mayor Tom Menino said Friday he will not approve a police department plan to put semiautomatic M-16 rifles in the hands of regular patrol officers. But Menino says he's open to giving them to "specialized units."

The police recently obtained 200 M-16s free of charge from the U.S. military and had planned to give them to dozens of officers for their patrols after training them to use the rifles.

However, some community leaders criticized the lack of public notice and questioned the reasoning behind arming district officers with M-16s when the city's SWAT team already has such weapons.
 
The reason I posted this was because I saw the article states the military is giving away M16's? With the happy switch!! Can I join the force??
Click to expand...

That's nothing new...the military has been sending rifles to agencies for a while.

Often they are converted to semi-auto only, so you may or may not actually get issued a rifle with the fun switch.

However, wouldn't an M1 Garand with AP ammo do a fine job without being as intimidating or "evil looking"?
Click to expand...

Sure, let's give the officers a rifle that's got a full power rifle cartridge instead of an intermediate cartridge. Sounds like a GREAT plan without any possibility of repercussions in an urban enviroment.

A .223 caliber weapon is possibly one of the best choices for a centerfire rifle for LE use.
 
I thought all military issued M16's were either full auto or burst and could not be reverted to semi-auto. I have used M16's for 30 years and it is way more effective than a shotgun. However, what is the frequency of 5 yard encounters versus 100 yards??
 
"It's all about the image"

Image shouldn't amount to a hill of beans when it comes to choosing equipment. You let image guide your choices, you are going to end up with improper equipment.

Maybe we should equip officers with single action revolvers and coach guns, because that's what the public sees as harmless from exposure to westerns? I didn't think so.

The mayor needs to go pound sand and stop micromanaging.

I thought all military issued M16's were either full auto or burst and could not be reverted to semi-auto. I have used M16's for 30 years and it is way more effective than a shotgun. However, what is the frequency of 5 yard encounters versus 100 yards??
Click to expand...

Nope, it's easy to change them out to semi-auto only. I think it's pretty much only a selector and a few other small parts change. What you're probably thinking of is the BATFE's ruling for civilians- once a machine gun, always a machine gun.
 
Police departements can get these with or without happy switch whether or not the US government is giving them away.
 
Yes but in the end, the point of the weapon is to give a tactical advantage to the police in case of an armed conflict against perps with rifles. To this end, adopting the Garand would make very little political sense; the M1A/M14 makes much more sense.

That all notwithstanding, this particular municipality was given 200 rifles for free. There is NO reason not to use them.
 
I completely agree, but the article said semi-automatic. I'm not too familiar with Massachusetts law but most states allow private citizens to own AR-15s in at least some configurations.
 
The Department should make all patrolmen "auxillary" S.W.A.T. officers, thereby circumventing the communist spew of Das Mayor! :evil:
 
Chicago doesn't even let its cops carry shotguns.

They had a plan to arm them with M4s, but that seems to have petered out amid a curious "strength test" for officers before they'd be allowed to carry, as well as the ongoing slow motion mutiny against the superintendent.

Hopefully, Boston has a better quality of officer than they do.
 
The cops should NOT be like the military at all. I object to SWAT teams...not because of their function (it's important), but because they are routinely MISUSED. The problem is the bean counters want justification for the budget...and suddenly SWAT's going out on minor calls.

In my opinion, the cops do NOT need military style weapons. If they're getting into firefights that require such weapons, THE COPS ARE NOT BEING SMART!!!! It's about catching the bad guy...not catching the bad guy this instant. So, why not wait until the bad guy gets up to go to work or the store? Go after them when they're alone and their guard is down! You don't need to kick in a door for that! Old School beat cops knew that...unfortunately, today's political class is more interested in making a show of power.
 
However, wouldn't an M1 Garand with AP ammo do a fine job without being as intimidating or "evil looking"?
Click to expand...

I'd wager than an M14/M1A with wood stock would be almost as politically correct looking
Click to expand...

Those would be good choices, but the Mini-14 has been the dominant player there for a long time.

Image and appearance are the reasons Ruger was so successful with their LE Mini-14 models.

Same basic performance in a rifle that doesn't have the scary look.
 
The Boston Police Department wants to arm neighborhood patrol officers with high-powered military assault weapons, but the mayor doesn't think it's such a good idea.
Click to expand...


This "high-powered" nonsense gets more than annoying after a while. If 5.56 NATO/.223 Remington is "high-powered", then what the heck do you call .308, 30-06 and 7.62x54r??? :fire::banghead::cuss:


In my opinion, the cops do NOT need military style weapons. If they're getting into firefights that require such weapons, THE COPS ARE NOT BEING SMART!!!! It's about catching the bad guy...not catching the bad guy this instant. So, why not wait until the bad guy gets up to go to work or the store? Go after them when they're alone and their guard is down! You don't need to kick in a door for that! Old School beat cops knew that...unfortunately, today's political class is more interested in making a show of power.
Click to expand...

Hmmm, interesting point. I suspect in many cases, you are probably correct.
 
The media calls virtually every rifle "High Powered Assault Rifles" and every stash of ammo and weaponry and "arsenal". Our job as sportsman is to educate the uninformed before the media can "indoctrinate" them.
 
it's not hard to change a full-auto/select-fire to a semi. Just pull out and change the selector, and take out the control seers, and weld the holes shut.
 
it's not hard to change a full-auto/select-fire to a semi. Just pull out and change the selector, and take out the control seers, and weld the holes shut.
Click to expand...

Well, it's still an NFA firearm. The ATF has that goofy "once a machinegun always a machinegun" rule.

So, if these are surplus M16's they are and forever will be, machineguns.
 
Quote:
Well the most realistic use is for a North Hollywood scenario of a goblin with body armor.

Yeah because a cop with a Marlin 30-30 couldn't have done the same thing!
__________________
Click to expand...

Now that makes a lot of sense! Someone give me a scenario where a 30-30 lever gun wouldn't be as effective(if not more) as an AR in the hands of normal LEO(Not SWAT).
 
Way to go Boston civilian Law Enforcement should never be armed more than the civilian population.
 
Way to go Boston civilian Law Enforcement should never be armed more than the civilian population.
Click to expand...

I agree and love how our politicians side step the
constitution that states something along the lines of
our military is not to be used against us.

Instead they outfit and send civilians in with military gear.

Nice... :rolleyes:
 
Status
Not open for further replies.

Similar threads

S
  • Locked
Miami to give officers assault weapons
2 3
Replies
70
Views
3K
RustyShackelford
R
D
  • Locked
Boston is losing it's mind..bullet control
2 3
Replies
62
Views
3K
Logan5
L
Rockrivr1
  • Locked
U.S. Navy declares ‘war’ in Southie, Boston MA
2
Replies
28
Views
2K
c_yeager
C
A
  • Locked
Domestic Violence and guns...
Replies
13
Views
703
wheelgunslinger
W
N
  • Locked
Boston gun buybacks announced.
2
Replies
39
Views
2K
bromdenlong
B
Back
Top