Expiration Of Ban Pushes Police To Get Assault Rifles

[Spieler]

Expiration Of Ban Pushes Police To Get Assault Rifles

POSTED: 5:47 am EDT April 25, 2005

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. -- The expiration of the nation's ban on the sale of assault rifles and the appearance of more heavily armed criminals have pushed more than 100 St. Petersburg police officers to order assault rifles of their own for official duty.

The first group of officers completed the required 16 hours of instruction for using Colt AR-15s in January. The semiautomatic weapons fire bullets that travel up to 2,700 feet per second and are powerful enough to penetrate body armor.

"St. Petersburg -- it's not so sleepy any more," said Tom Jacwin, a 22-year veteran who is getting used to his new weapon. "The bad guys are smarter and better armed."

Police Chief Chuck Harmon approved use of the AR-15s last June with guidelines that took months to develop. Officers who want the weapons must buy them for $1,100.

The rifles may be used only in "a high-risk situation, such as to overcome suspects with superior firepower, in response to an active shooter situation, when confronted by barricaded subjects, during stakeout and perimeter operations, for felony vehicle stops."

The weapons must be stored in a hard case in the trunk of a patrol car except when being used. They can't be modified for automatic fire, and officers must qualify with them in the shooting range each year.

Critics say that the speed and 300-yard range of the bullets pose a threat to bystanders. Advocates say the assault rifles are vastly better than the standard Glock handguns assigned to officers and are more accurate than the pump-action shotguns that the department makes available.

story here

 

[GSMD Fan]

WOW

Those bullets go 300 YARDS

That is very dangerous.

 

[Gunpacker]

Lol

More accurate than a shotgun???? I don't think so. Another misinformed statement. Still there are rifle situations, and I think police are wise to have them available. It is simply using them correctly that is necessary.

 

[nico]

why is it that "critics" always seem to be so damn stupid. I wonder what one of these people would say if someone told them that a bullet from the Glocks that the cops already carry can travel 300 yards too.

 

[El Rojo]

Well they aren't select fire and they are buying them just like everyone else in Florida can, so there is nothing for the anti-leo crowd to complain about. Now if it were in the PRK, it would be different.

 

[AK-74me]

300 yds . so what. lol

What bullet can't go 300 yds.

On a good day I can hit a golf ball that far.

I think that a .223 round goes a lot further that 300 yds. but shhhhh god forbid they find that out.

 

[DarkKnight01]

I think their meaning to say an effective range of 300 yards..

 

[AK-74me]

yeah I know but it is all still ridiculous, I mean at 800 meters bystanders that could struck with a .223 round and are still in danger

 

[justashooter]

in a conversation with 3 local pd in york restaraunt, i discover their chief has set up so many road blocks as to make nearly impossible to obtain. chief is a political appointee, and PC because of that.

i support the improvement of firepower if accompanied by training and practice, but am concerned with the swat mentality. best of both worlds? not likely. maybe during the next hostage situation, i will be driving by and arrange to lend an ak-47 or a shorty ar from the trunk.

some drug traffickers in the puerto rican neighborhood in york have good firepower, but it's not so bad, here, and response time is good from support units.

 

[Vernal45]

Didnt police have those evil black assault rifles during the ban?


Someone has been inhaling way to much.

 

[Commissar Gribb]

The expiration of the nation's ban on the sale of assault rifles and the appearance of more heavily armed criminals have pushed more than 100 St. Petersburg police officers to order assault rifles of their own for official duty.

What stopped the criminals from getting them before? the City isn't exactly known for having the least amount of contraband flowing into it.

The first group of officers completed the required 16 hours of instruction for using Colt AR-15s in January. The semiautomatic weapons fire bullets that travel up to 2,700 feet per second and are powerful enough to penetrate body armor.

I like how the anti-gun media uses "body armor" without telling what kind of body armor is being discussed. a 9mm can penetrate a level 1 or 2 vest easily as could about any combat round since these vests are made to protect against debris and low velocity schrapnel.

"St. Petersburg -- it's not so sleepy any more," said Tom Jacwin, a 22-year veteran who is getting used to his new weapon. "The bad guys are smarter and better armed."

this is one of those paragraphs that makes you want to stab the writer in the face. Let me reprint this how the author probably wanted it to be read.


"It's dangerous out there with those assault weapons!" said honorable justice protector Jacwin, who's advanced special ops style police training keeps him from going on a killing spree with his evil black gun. "The bad guys were given evil assault rifles by the NRA so they can kill babies."

 

[Navy joe]

So, a process approved by the chief in June that took months to develop guidelines for is in response to a ban that expired in September? This writer must be related to the one that brought us the news that the National Guard is the militia referred to in the 2A.

 

[VaughnT]

What make/model could cost $1100? At that price range, you're looking at a topshelf custom rifle, not the more expected Bushmaster. Bet they went with Colts if anything.

Need? Heck, I have one and face far less danger than a cop, regardless of his locale.

As to the article, situation normal....

More power to the popo!

 

[thatguy]

OH, GIVE ME A FREAKING BREAK!!!!!! Like the criminals were UNABLE to obtain weapons because of the ban? What a load, a great big steaming load, of CRAP!

Propaganda. Nothing more than propaganda from anti-gun press and anti-gun (or very stupid) cops.

I need a pill.

 

[1911JMB]

The media always seems to like to make people think superior firepower was banned by Clinton. Some people love propoganda and just can't understand that a flash suppressor and a bayonet couldn't have done that much to improve an AR with a cheaply aquired preban 30 round magazine.

 

[ckyllo]

it is most likely that it was a $500 ar with $600 of lazers, lights, scopes and other toys hanging on it to make it mall ninja cool and $1100.

 

[LawDog]

*snort*

They got a word wrong in the headline. It should read:

Expiration Of Ban Allows Police To Get Assault Rifles

LawDog

 

[Pilgrim]

A more appropriate headline would be, "Police Use Scare Tactics to Con Chief to Buy New Rifles."

A similar tactic is used by PDs and SOs to get new handguns.

Officers: "We need a new handgun."

Chief/Sheriff: "Why?"

Officers: "Our guns are obsolete. They are inaccurate. They are breaking all the time. We are outgunned."

Chief/Sheriff to city/county fathers: "My officers need a new handgun."

City/County fathers: "Why?"

Chief/Sheriff: "Our guns are obsolete. They are inaccurate. They are breaking all the time. We are outgunned."

City/County fathers: "Ok, if they are that bad, buy new ones."

After Chief/Sheriff purchases new guns, officers are permitted to buy their old guns at discounted prices from vendor who took old guns in trade.

City/County fathers: "If the old guns were obsolete, inaccurate, were breaking all the time, and the officers were outgunned, why are so many buying their old guns from the vendor?"

Chief/Sheriff: "Duh, I don't know."

Pilgrim

 

[Sam Adams]

What I'd like to know is why the police need guns whose only purpose is to kill people?

This is a simple case of some officer with a few extra IQ points and a burning desire to have the taxpayers pay for his fun. You can't make a good case to just buy one of these, therefore many in the department "need" them. Of course, then you have to establish the "need," so there's where the AWB expiration and the fact-deficient fear-mongering came in...

...but of course, the fact that the original "assault weapons" that existed before the ban on new production were never illegal to own under federal or Florida law, and were still "on the streets," never appeared on anyone's radar screen - not the chief's, not the city council's, and not the putz reporter's.

 

[BlackCat]

instruction for using Colt AR-15s...Officers who want the weapons must buy them for $1,100.

They are Colts, not Bushmasters, and the article seems to say the officers paid for them on their own.

 

[LawDog]

This is a simple case of some officer with a few extra IQ points and a burning desire to have the taxpayers pay for his fun. You can't make a good case to just buy one of these, therefore many in the department "need" them. Of course, then you have to establish the "need," so there's where the AWB expiration and the fact-deficient fear-mongering came in...

From the original post:

Officers who want the weapons must buy them for $1,100.

City/County fathers: "Ok, if they are that bad, buy new ones."

From the original post:

Officers who want the weapons must buy them for $1,100.

Oh, dear, am I posting facts in the middle of a knee-jerk cop-hate? Sorry. Carry on, don't mind me.

LawDog

 

[whm1974]

How are these weapons any diffecnte form the ones I could have brought before september?

And you lever action 30-30 winchester is just as capable of going through body armor as an AR-15. They are also far more common.

-Bill

 

[Pilgrim]

Quote:
City/County fathers: "Ok, if they are that bad, buy new ones."

Oh, dear, am I posting facts in the middle of a knee-jerk cop-hate? Sorry. Carry on, don't mind me.

LawDog

I don't think it is a matter of 'knee-jerk' cop-hate. I saw that the basic theme of the story is that with the expiration of the '94 EBR ban, the officers made up a bogey man story to con the chief into letting them buy AR-15s. They could have bought the rifles before the expiration of the ban. What changed that they have to buy them now? The only real change is the average 'joe' can buy now what the officers could buy before the ban with department letterhead.

As for the "our guns are no good" story, I have seen it happen several times in departments who are maneuvering to convince the city/county fathers to buy them new guns. In my last department, the entire department was issued S&W 5906s in 1990. Ten years later, the guns were "no good, they break too often, and we are outgunned by carrying the 9mm." The average round count per gun was 4,000 rounds. The SWAT guys shot their guns more, but there were guns issued that sat in the deputy's chest of drawers the entire time because their deputy was command staff and had the option of carrying his little five shot revolver instead of the 9mm.

Now, do you consider a stainless steel handgun shot out when it has 4,000 rounds through it? I don't think so. I personally think it is just getting broken in.

Pilgrim

 

[Randy in Arizona]

And you lever action 30-30 winchester is just as capable of going through body armor as an AR-15. They are also far more common.

ALSO Cheaper, Less threatening, (To the Sheeple) Easy to maintain, Very fast to get into action, BUT definitely lacking the 'Cool Factor' some GunKid Wannabees desire so highly.

I mean come on fellas, $250 for a great used 30-30 vs. $1100 for a new AR?
I wonder if the Saint Pete PD is buying the ammo for practice and Annual Qualification.

 

[P5 Guy]

The article in the Times yesterday said a box of ammo cost $250.
Allowing the St Pete Police to arm themselves with AR15s is in response to a run and gun incedent back at the beging of the year. My problem with this is they use reduced size targets in their 25 yard range to qualify. There is nothing IMO like shooting 300 yards. Reduced size targets don't make it!