Chicago May Beef Up Cops' Weapons, but Citizens Still Left Unarmed
The Chicago Tribune today reports that Mayor Richard M. Daley is supporting a proposal to arm police with semi-automatic assault rifles.
According to the article, "Many times [the police are] outgunned, to be very frank," Daley said at an event in the
Englewood neighborhood. "When they come to a scene, someone has a semi-fully-automatic weapon, and you have a little pistol, uh, good luck."
Daley said the pistols the rank-and-file officers carry aren't enough when they're up against gunmen brandishing AK-47 assault rifles or other high-powered weapons. Last weekend, one of the bloodiest of the year with 27 people shot, police exchanged gunfire with one man armed with an AK-47.
The story further reports that on Friday, Daley held a meeting with [Police Supt. Jody] Weis and civic leaders to talk about the recent increase in violence. Afterward, Daley urged parents to step up and do their part in protecting their children from the lure of the streets. On Saturday, dozens of parents and grandparents participated in a crime prevention workshop at a South Side church.
So it appears that the mayor recognizes that crminals will get guns illegally. He appeals to citizens to step up, but continues to be an advocate for Chicago's gun ban, preventing those citizens from protecting themselves and their families.
According to the article, "Many times [the police are] outgunned, to be very frank," Daley said at an event in the
Englewood neighborhood. "When they come to a scene, someone has a semi-fully-automatic weapon, and you have a little pistol, uh, good luck."
Daley said the pistols the rank-and-file officers carry aren't enough when they're up against gunmen brandishing AK-47 assault rifles or other high-powered weapons. Last weekend, one of the bloodiest of the year with 27 people shot, police exchanged gunfire with one man armed with an AK-47.
The story further reports that on Friday, Daley held a meeting with [Police Supt. Jody] Weis and civic leaders to talk about the recent increase in violence. Afterward, Daley urged parents to step up and do their part in protecting their children from the lure of the streets. On Saturday, dozens of parents and grandparents participated in a crime prevention workshop at a South Side church.
So it appears that the mayor recognizes that crminals will get guns illegally. He appeals to citizens to step up, but continues to be an advocate for Chicago's gun ban, preventing those citizens from protecting themselves and their families.
Posted by Administrator at 4/27/2008 11:13 AM 
Categories: Criminal Law, Constitutional Law, Firearms Law
Categories: Criminal Law, Constitutional Law, Firearms Law
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11/22/2008 4:55 PM
The Law Blog - Joseph P McCaffery wrote:
Nearly 100 teens marched outside Chicago police headquarters Thursday night to protest the department's plans, to equip officers with semi-automatic rifles, saying the weapons could make the streets more dangerous. The plans have been publicly backed by Mayor Richard Daley...
Hi, Yes it's a shame that our police force are being out-weaponed on the streets. There has been a high number of murders lately, it's pretty scary for the innocent children who get caught in the middle.
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Dick Daley would like to see everyone out-weaponed on the street except the innocent victims of crime. In 30 years the Chicago handgun ban hasn't taken weapons away from the criminals. It's time to get over it and allow citizens to protect themselves. This issue is different than the cross-fire injuries and fatalities, historylover, that will continue until the city gets a handle on gang crime (which, looking at it historically, I doubt they will). There always will be thugs. The bigger issue about being able to protect home and family, and perhaps reduce crime since criminals may think twice about breaking in someone's home knowing they aren't the only ones who may be armed. Chicago and the suburbs with handgun bans are great targets for burglars, but hopefully not for long.
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