Update: LAPD & NRA solicitations

[Mark Tyson]

Los Angeles; LAPD to Pull Pitches;
Department will ensure that pistols issued to recruits do not contain NRA solicitations.

Copyright 2003 The Times Mirror Company; Los Angeles Times

All Rights Reserved

Los Angeles Times
September 30, 2003 Tuesday Home Edition

The Los Angeles Police Department will remove National Rifle Assn. membership solicitations from boxes containing the Beretta pistols it buys and issues to recruits, Assistant Chief George Gascon said Monday.

The discount NRA memberships offered to all buyers of Berretta guns were discovered by supervisors at the Police Academy. The tussle over the leaflets is the latest skirmish between the city of Los Angeles, with its tough restrictions on firearms, and the NRA, with its tireless defense of the right to bear arms.

The move follows criticism by City Council members of similar solicitations found in boxes of Glock pistols sold at the privately run Police Academy gun shop.

Gascon said the LAPD has authority to order removal of such solicitations from the packaging of guns that the department issues directly to recruits.

In contrast, Gascon said the Constitution's guarantee of free speech would prevent the department from directing the academy store, operated by the independent Los Angeles Police Revolver & Athletic Club, to remove such solicitations.

"This is a 1st Amendment issue," he said.

Only law enforcement officers are permitted to shop at the academy store, which is in Elysian Park. In the past, the club has removed items from the store at the chief's suggestion.

Last week, council members Jack Weiss and Eric Garcetti criticized the store for stocking guns containing the solicitations.

On Monday, Weiss praised the department's decision about recruits' weapons.

"It would be a concern if new LAPD officers were given the impression that the LAPD endorses the NRA," he said.

"I hope they will take this one step further and see to it that other gun manufacturers don't get to deliver a pro-NRA message to LAPD officers either," Weiss said.

According to an internal LAPD memorandum, a review has found that the solicitations inside the Glock packaging are far from unique and that other manufacturers -- Smith & Wesson, Berretta and Remington -- include the same kind of coupon for discount membership inside sealed packaging of their weapons.

Officials at Glock called the solicitation "kind of like an offer to join AAA when you buy your new Ford."

NRA officials have questioned whether the city's resources would be better spent fighting crime than trying to prevent the NRA from reaching out to new members.

 

[Skibane]

Gascon said the LAPD has authority to order removal of such solicitations from the packaging of guns that the department issues directly to recruits.

In contrast, Gascon said the Constitution's guarantee of free speech would prevent the department from directing the academy store, operated by the independent Los Angeles Police Revolver & Athletic Club, to remove such solicitations.

"This is a 1st Amendment issue," he said.

And there you have it, folks: selective constitutional vision. "I know a constitutional right when I see it! (Well, anyway, sometimes I do...)"

 

[Standing Wolf]

"I hope they will take this one step further and see to it that other gun manufacturers don't get to deliver a pro-NRA message to LAPD officers either," Weiss said.

If this little wannabe tyrant had his way, the N.R.A. would be prohibited by law.

 

[Kharn]

I wonder what the LAPD would do if Glock incorporated the NRA brochure into the firearm's manual, especially if they made it a form to photocopy (like the centerfold of the booklet, the other sides of each sheet had gun-related instructions on them), fill out and mail it in? If they tore the pages out, they might have some fun times in court when a trainee shoots him/herself accidentily and the jury finds out the police department defaced his/her pistol manual by removing critical instructions...

Kharn

 

[Brian Dale]

Public officials who scorn the Second Amendment have no regard for the First. Is anyone surprised?

 

[Moparmike]

Donning flame suit...

Berretta has every right to put any pamphlet into the boxes of its products, wether its NRA solicitations or Russian mail-order brides. As the buyer of said products, the LAPD has every right to remove said pamphlets from the products it is giving/selling to its employees.

That saidâ„¢, its a thuroughly petty and contemptable thing to do.

 

[Kharn]

As the buyer of said products, the LAPD has every right to remove said pamphlets from the products it is giving/selling to its employees.

In my opinion, what the LAPD is doing (and what the antis want the academy store to do) is just like the gun dealers that sell a pistol with only one magazine, when it came from the factory with two. They're removing monentary value from the firearm's package (as the brochure offers a discount) underhandedly.

Now the LAPD (as the buyer) should be allowed to do that if they want, but the store should not be permitted to do such a thing as they arent the ultimate buyer of the firearm.

Kharn

 

[Moparmike]

Good reply.

One could infact argue against my own arguement that the pamphlet is property that the department bought, and if they sell it for the same price, the department has to include the pamphlet.

However, a peice of paper from a non-associated organization is markedly different from a peice of equipment sold with the gun for the bought price.

 

[C.R.Sam]

I'll go for....

If the recruit is purchasing the weapon from the PD;
And the manufacturer included the discount cupon:
Then the PD is either engaging in theft of goods or denying the buyer a discount of value.

I see it as just the same as stealing one of the two mags as noted previously. The gun maker didn't make the pamphlet, nor did they make the mags. They were included in a package of agreed upon value.

Sam

 

[rayra]

Beretta and the NRA should saturate the LAPD personnel with advertisements regarding the matter. And offer subsidised memberships to all LAPD Rank&File that care to join. Screw the Politicos / Appointees.

 

[BerettaNut92]

"I [name] solemnly swear to support and defend the ... " :banghead:

 

[feedthehogs]

That's right; deny the organization that was originally set up for gun safety and POLICE TRAINING.

There they go again, abusing the privilege of being stupid!

 

[greyhound]

Wasn't there talk of Glock not selling to the LAPD in protest over "civilians" not being able to buy some Glock products? Maybe just wishful thinking, but I know that Barrett .50 cal rifles are doing it....

 

[tiberius]

I can't belive how paranoid these "officials" sound.

In regards the the quote:

"It would be a concern if new LAPD officers were given the impression that the LAPD endorses the NRA," he said.

Since the NRA is a political organization, I do NOT have a problem with this line of thinking as long as the policy applies to ALL political orgainizations. Because it would be an even bigger problem if new recruits thought that the LAPD supported HCI or any other gun grabbing group.

 

[Augustwest]

Wasn't there talk of Glock not selling to the LAPD in protest over "civilians" not being able to buy some Glock products?

I sincerely doubt that that's the case.

IMO, Ol' Gaston's a businessman first and foremost. Can't see him passing up an account as big as the LAPD in support of the little people.

 

[Nightfall]

Seeing as how the LAPD tirelessly supports the right to keep and bear arms, it comforts me thinking how confident I can be that they will respect my other rights as well, should the need arise.

 

[Kaylee]

I think if I were Beretta, Glock, et al... I'd seriously start to consider ceasing official sales to LAPD.

It's for the children.


-K