Remove LEO exemption from firearm laws?

[drphil]

Would you support a federal law that required all law enforcement agencies and employees to follow the same federal and state firearm laws as citizens (i.e. get rid the law enforcement exemptions attached to many firearm laws)? I think of this mostly in regards to the types of firearms and where they are allowed to be carried.

I believe that people should be treated equally under the law regardless or their race, sex, age, and occupation so I personally think LEOs should have to follow the same laws as everyone else. Plus if gun control really works, LEOs should never be out-gunned.

The example that got me thinking about this is the 50 cal ban in CA and the stance Ronnie Barrett took.

Maybe a law like this would help unite LEOs and citizens to fight gun control legislation as a team. Also, perhaps a law like this would be easier to pass because it could be worded in such a way to appeal to the Brady Bunch while having support from the proles as well.

 

[JWarren]

I'd prefer to keep LEO's having the exception and add the Law-abiding Citizen Exception.


-- John

 

[acdodd]

If I can not have it then the LEO's should not have it.
So yes I would support that law.
It would never happen but I would support it.
AC

 

[Triphammer]

Forgot the name of the law, the Federal law that disbarrs anyone from owning a firearm if they were "ever" convicted of a domestic violence, includes cops & soldiers stationed in the US. It passed anyway. I've always thought that all laws that apply to citizens should also apply to police & Congress (Congress is speciffically exempt from the laws they pass for us.

 

[hanno]

I'd prefer to keep LEO's having the exception and add the Law-abiding Citizen Exception.

Agreed.

 

[Louisiana Carry]

This is the single best way to get rid of gun control. If LEOs were restricted like citizens, you would see ALOT of idiot laws bite the dust.

 

[Ash]

I do think that a law should be passed that the police, who are civilians like everyone else, should never be legally better armed than other citizens. In other words, if they want to disarm citizens, then police have to be disarmed. If 10 rounds is all I need, that is all the police need.

Ash

 

[Zangetsu]

This is the single best way to get rid of gun control. If LEOs were restricted like citizens, you would see ALOT of idiot laws bite the dust.

I completely agree. It seems like a clever way to turn the tables and prohibit stupid laws that wouldn't do anything but make things sloppy. Additionally, if anything stupid did come up we'd gain the police unions as allies to get it quashed or revoked. I'd like to see the faces on the SWAT teams across the nation as their suppessors were taken and they were handed semi-auto only rifles with 16" barrels and 10 round magazines

BTW, is there such a bill on the table right now?

 

[Brian Dale]

I don't want to take anything away from law enforcement officers. It's fun to imagine using the threat of equal rules for all as a tool for rebuilding observance of the Bill of Rights.

I want the rest of us to be able to arm ourselves with our own money as well as the police are armed with our money. We're allies.

But I understand your goal:

...[to] unite LEOs and citizens to fight gun control legislation as a team.

I'm all for that.
.

 

[jon_in_wv]

You guys are missing the point. Before passing LEOSA the anti gunners said if people, even cops, were allowed to carry concealed the crime rate would skyrocket as they got in shoot outs over parking spots. THe fact it hasn't happened is a testament to concealed carry for all. You want to roll it back out of petty jealousy?? Instead of stomping your feet and crying, "not fair!! NOt Fair!!!" You should be crying, "me TOO!! Me Too!!" THe more armed citizens that are on the street, the safer we ALL are. Try to be inclusive and promote CCW for all. Don't try to exclude others because your not in that group. Is LEOSA stopping anyone from getting a permit?? Does it have ANY effect on that?? Lives of officers and citizens alike have been saved because of that law. We should be fighting together for more laws like it for ALL citizens not doing the anti=gunners job FOR them.

 

[Louisiana Carry]

No, it is not that way at all, for me. Its just that the .gov would not outlaw hosts of weapons so quickly if it meant the people on their payroll would not have them when it is the lawmakers' homes being broken into.

 

[Brian Dale]

You guys are missing the point...You want to roll it back out of petty jealousy??

You might go back and re-read what's been posted so far. Almost every post implies exactly what you've stated directly.

 

[5knives]

Hmmm ...

Just read the Second Ammendment again, still can't find the wording "EXCET FOR" anyplace in it.

Former LEO and trust me, I've known some clowns that shouldn't have been allowed to carry ON duty, let alone off.

Until very recently that comment included one of my step-sons, but he's finally showing signs of growing up.

I don't believe in the restrictions, and I haven't ever thought Coppers, past or present were special. Citizens plain and simple just like the rest of us, just different job descriptions.

Second Ammendment doesn't say a word about CC or OC either, which is why some States, like WI. do most of their gun restrictions under the guise of "Game Regulations" and DNR "rules".

So I voted "Yes" in the narrow sense of the question posed, but I'm definitely against the restrictions we ALL currently live under.

JMHO, YMMV!

Regards,

 

[jon_in_wv]

I was a bit hasty, I saw the "if I can't have it, cops shouldn't have it" nonsense and reacted. I would hope most people would want to fight for nationwide reciprocity rather than taking guns away from people regardless of who they are.

ALso, the comment about the lawmaker homes holds NO water. Total bunk. ON duty cops aren't effected by concealed carry laws and legislators could care less about cops for the most part. DO you think anyone is going to pass a law to disarm ON duty cops?? I would hope not. DOn't get pulled into class warfare. The best thing to do is VOTE for lawmakers that will make the laws we need and get active to get these guys elected.

Thanks Brian.

 

[cowssurf]

The laws should be the same for all, which means I agree with previous posters--namely, exempt all of us. Gun laws are truly a no-brainer. Law-abiding citizens aren't threats, and the threats don't abide the laws anyways. So give us our guns whenever we want them, since if we were planning on doing anything bad, we wouldn't ask for permission anyways.

 

[drphil]

DO you think anyone is going to pass a law to disarm ON duty cops??

That is exactly what I am talking about. On duty LEOs should only be allowed to carry the same weapons as citizens (including tazers, batons, firearms, etc). I think a law would pass for several reasons.

1. It is a form of Gun Control and the Brady Bunch would support it.

2. People who are not fans of a "Police State" will support it.

3. Civil rights groups should support it because it is a form of legal discrimination.

4. The proles will support it because it evens the playing field and might keep LEO organizations from supporting the Brady Bunch in the future.

I would prefer no restrictions on anyone but we can’t go from AWB to nothing. Again, we need to take a page from the Brady Bunch playbook. Enact legislation that the other side will support (just like the NRA supports background checks and mental health checks). Then once we have equal rights (another buzz-phrase) we could just let LEO organizations lobby for the rest of our 2A rights.

 

[RiflemanTripleEight]

You certainly aren't going to get police department support by proposing the disarming of police.

Police don't make the laws. Police simply get the blame for dumb laws since they are the most visible form of government. Most cops aren't "gun nuts" and probably wouldn't care if you gave them 10 round mags or 13 round mags.

I like that you want to fight for our rights but you might be a little misguided. Simply my opinion of course.

 

[drphil]

Here is the letter Ronnie Barrett sent to the LAPD.

I think the LAPD would have been less likely to act in this manner if they would have to follow the law they were supporting.

Update: It also looks like a SWAT officer wrote a letter opposing the ban.

 

[TAB]

Having worked for a FFL in CA I can tell you I personally took several orders for hand guns that were not on the approved list for LEO that were in no way duty related...Things like "race ready" 1911s in 38 super, single actions in 45 70, "evil features"( example threaded barrels with skrewed on comps)... etc etc. I can only recall one gun that was "duty" related, and it was a keltec as a BUG...

I have no prob with agencys buying what ever they want for thier officers, I do have a prob with individual officers buying what they want.

 

[flynlr]

I have no prob with agencys buying what ever they want for thier officers, I do have a prob with individual officers buying what they want.

ummm don't make the sale? as an FFL sounds simple but is probably not.

 

[P-32]

If you think the LEO's have better carry rules then jump through the hoops and become one. The entire country suffers from a lack of qualified applicants. Low pay you know. LEO's are held to a much higher standard when they fire or even present their weapon. Everbody and their brothers get to monday morning quarter back the shoot. This includes Judges, Lawyers and the Admin. Then the dead guys family is going to sue because the dead guy was so wonderful and such a great dad even though his rap sheet is 14 feet long. Yes, the LEO's get such a great deal and get to carry when they want in places others don't get too. yea ha!

Hi cap mags.....well let me tell you a person is well armed with a single stack 1911 which won't fall into the hi cap mag issue. Where I live the mag ban sunset in 1994 with the rest of the ban. So that dog isn't going to hunt. If you don't like it, move.

 

[TAB]

Its not low pay every where... every single LEO I know makes atleast 50% more then the average house hold in the US. I know 3 that are north of 100k a year with only 5-10 years on the force, and they are not in a spealized job.

 

[Deanimator]

Back in '96, I heard spokesmen for the Chicago police union on NPR demanding to be exempted from laws which disarm those CONVICTED of domestic violence. It was one of the most disgusting displays I've ever witnessed in the media. I was so repulsed, it's forever changed my view of law enforcement.

One law for EVERYBODY.

 

[MaterDei]

If you don't like it, move.

Umm...no comment.

LEOs are citizens. As 5knives said, they just have a different job description.

 

[grog18b]

Why some feel that cops write these laws, is beyond me. Most of us see these laws as stupid too. I too would rather see a citizen exemption law, rather than taking away more freedom. If you don't vote, and don't write and call to get these laws changed, you have no room to complain. Those moronic laws are put together and passed by the people elected to office. If you don't like the laws, DO SOMETHING to change them. It's that simple. Write, call, and harass the heck out of YOUR elected officials to get them changed.

What we need is for all the armed populace to VOTE. Not to come here and complain about laws. Laws are laws. Complaining does nothing. Actions speak louder than words.