The Streets Are Getting Nasty
This story is more than a little scary.
According to this article from CNN, the police department in Palm Beach County is having to engage in an arms race with local criminals and gangs by upping their arsenal considerable. On the streets where AK-47s are seemingly becoming the norm, the old standard issue hand guns just aren’t doing it for the cops.
Now I haven’t seen this in Chicago, but does anyone know if this is happening anywhere else in the country? When our police have to be armed like soldiers, you know we have serious issues.
The war on the streets is escalating. As gangs and other criminals pack more firepower, police departments say they find themselves in an arms race.
The officers say they need to level the playing field to survive. And so, on a bright October day about a dozen Palm Beach County sheriff’s deputies brought out their big guns at the local firing range.
Rifles crackled. Shell casings flew. Bullets sailed at 3,200 feet per second through paper targets set up a football field’s length away.
The sharpshooters weren’t training for a SWAT team. These were the deputies who patrol the streets and roads from the glittery Gold Coast to the swamps of the Everglades. Video Watch cops practice firing the big guns »
The fatal shooting in September of a Miami-Dade police officer by a man using an assault weapon put all South Florida police departments on edge. Several other officers were wounded by the gunfire.
"It’s not nice we have to arm ourselves like the soldiers in Iraq," said Sgt. Laurie Pfeil, who supervises a sheriff’s road patrol in Palm Beach County and is now certified to carry a semiautomatic AR-15 rifle on the job. It’s the civilian version of the military’s M-16 used by U.S. soldiers in Iraq.
"We are like soldiers. It is a war, " says Sgt Pfeil.
Across the country, at least 62 police officers have been gunned down this year — a record pace, said Robert Tessaro, the associate director for law enforcement relations for the Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence.
As a result, the Brady organization supports police officers arming themselves with high-powered weapons "to protect themselves and their communities," he said.
"We’re having more than one officer shot and killed a week. It’s just outrageous that officers are being targeted," he said. "It’s something I think all Americans should be outraged about."
He lays the blame squarely on lawmakers who allowed the assault weapons ban to expire in 2004.
Designed to be fired from the hip, assault rifles such as the AK-47 can spray at a rate of up to 600 rounds a minute in full automatic mode. It is the weapon of choice for guerillas and gangsters.
Cops prefer to squeeze off single shots in semiautomatic mode because it makes for more accurate shooting. Some semiautomatic weapon’s can fire with pinpoint accuracy from as far as 100 yards away. The magazines used by law enforcement typically carry 20 or 30 rounds, adding to the ability to better respond under fire.
There’s no doubt that urban street warfare, aided by a proliferation of cheap automatic weapons, has come even to Palm Beach County, once high society’s vacation mecca and a retirement destination for northern snowbirds.
Assault weapons have been used to kill eight people and wound 25 here over the last two years. Authorities estimate there are about 160 gangs who boast around 7000 members.
"They don’t have .38s anymore. They have AK-47s. …They have automatic weapons now," said Sgt. Pfeil.
So the Palm Beach Sheriff’s office, like many others across the county, is training and arming everyone on the force with semiautomatic assault weapons. Many officers say it’s about time.
"It’s different now. It’s shootings on a weekly basis. Ten years ago, that just didn’t happen," said Pfeil. "They don’t get out and run from us anymore. They stop, and they’re shooting at us."
Miami’s police department also is in the process of arming every officer with an assault rifle.
"It’s a little bit embarrassing that we’re engaged in this, but what is the alternative?" said Miami police Chief John Timoney. He said gangs, in particular, are getting their hands on high-powered weapons with apparent ease.
"The streets of South Florida are being flooded by AK-47s and assault weapons from old Soviet bloc countries. It’s driven the price down, making the availability greater," said Chief Timoney.
The Miami police department evidence room has seized AK-47s, AR-15s and an assortment of other automatic and semiautomatic weapons piled on shelves from floor to ceiling.
Chief Timoney says he started noticing an increase since the federal assault weapon ban lapsed in 2004. Since then, he says homicides in the city of Miami involving assault weapons have been up — 18 percent last year and 20 percent this year.
The Miami Police Department said 15 of its 79 homicides last year involved assault weapons, up from the year before. So far this year, 12 of 60 killings have involved the high-powered arms.
Tessaro said he recently attended a conference for the International Association of Chiefs of Police. Among the crime scene tape, squad cars, and other law enforcement gear offered for sale was the latest in high-powered assault weapons.
But it takes time and money to arm everyone. In the case of Palm Beach Sheriff’s office, about one-third of its deputies carry assault weapons. It could take a year to get everyone equipped.
Some officers aren’t waiting.
Palm Beach Sheriff’s deputy Carl Martin bought his own AR-15 and passed the required training.
When his department offered him one of their weapons, he gave it up to someone else who was on the waiting list. "Because there’s not enough to go around," he explained.
source Tags: dumb news, ak 47, miami, palm beach, gang violence, police guns
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13 opinions for The Streets Are Getting Nasty
AKD
Nov 6, 2007 at 9:10 pm
“He lays the blame squarely on lawmakers who allowed the assault weapons ban to expire in 2004.
Designed to be fired from the hip, assault rifles such as the AK-47 can spray at a rate of up to 600 rounds a minute in full automatic mode. It is the weapon of choice for guerillas and gangsters.”
Dangerous misinformation here. Automatic weapons did not become legal with the lapse of the assault weapons ban. The ban applied to a number of semi-automatic rifles, some bear little resemblance to an AK-47 and having little to know desirability for gangsta types.
Furthermore, the statement that assault weapons are intended to be “sprayed from the hip” shows the reporters’ complete and total ignorance of the subject they are reporting on. And again, the incorrect assumption that “assault weapons” and “automatic weapons” are synonyms is made.
Why is this dangerous? The lapse of the assault weapons ban allowed law-abiding citizens to again own a number of rifles that had previously been banned, many for basically cosmetic reasons (they look “scary”), and a number with practical applications in sport and self-defense.
Now if criminals with automatic weapons are roaming the streets, does CNN and the Brady Campaign really have a right to tell me, a citizen who has never committed a crime, that I can’t defend myself with a legally owned weapon that could even begin to serve as a deterrent?
In the end, this story is manufactured and probably fed to CNN directly from special interests groups. The trend of patrol officers replacing their shotguns and 1950s-era rifles with small-caliber carbines (the most popular type being the AR-15) began well-before 2004. These weapons are simply more effective, more reliable, and safer in application. In fact, officers are more likely to hit their intended targets and less likely to have an errant bullet travel through a wall or car than they are with semi-automatic pistols (this seems counter intuitive since these rifles are invariably described as a “high-powered,” but in fact the ballistic physics bear this out).
Mortar Maggot
Nov 6, 2007 at 9:20 pm
pure, unadulterated tripe.
did someone have a slow news day? it looks like this was pulled from sometime in the 90’s.
I highly doubt the ability to put a grips or a certain barrel on my rifle led to an increase in crime.
the AK does not fire 600 rds minute in anything but a mathmaticians head. It takes about 5 seconds for a magazine change (quicker IF your trained.) so figure 30 rounds every 10 seconds, thats half that. And even then you need 10 magazines loaded and ready to go. Thats not something un-obvious if you see that you need to call the cops.
They are making this sound like the assualt weapons ban did more then ban cosmetic changes as well. Automatic weapons have been illegal for a long time and still are illegal.
the repeal of the assualt weapons ban, just means I can have a flash hider on the muzzle now, or have a certain length to my muzzle.
And if someone is shooting at you on full auto, it is simple, stand still, then rush during the magazine change.
If you really wanted to help you would ban long guns. But then you’d kill the hunting market and criminals would still have them, becuase you can pick an AK for 10 bucks in south america ship em here, and sell em for 40 to 50 bucks here.
David
Nov 6, 2007 at 9:52 pm
I have to wondwer what America’s Founding Fathers would think. The Snd Amendment to the Constitution was written with a very different society in mind. There are many countries that are free, that don’t allow private citizens to own such weapons…
Scott
Nov 6, 2007 at 10:27 pm
Don’t believe the lies. The only people that are hurt by gun control are law abiding citizens who lose the ability to defend themselves from criminals that will have whatever weapons they want, regardless of what the law says.
Dean
Nov 6, 2007 at 10:43 pm
The story is horribly slanted. What is CNN’s agenda here?
According to the FBI, very few truly automatic weapons are being used in crimes in this country, yet the article makes it sound like the streets of Florida are awash with them. Does that department not report crime data to the FBI, like every other department in the country? Maybe some independent research by the reporter would call into question some of the cops statements.
So the chief connects the so-called increase in crimes committed with so-called automatic weapons with the expiration of the 1994 assault weapons ban. Does the chief not know that the 1994 bill only required cosmetic changes to the guns? How does going back to the way the guns LOOKED pre-1994 (not the way they functioned, which was never legislated) add up to more assault weapon crime now? These are the questions the reporter should have researched.
John Wayne
Nov 7, 2007 at 12:12 am
omg, automatic weapons, this is so much BS, automatic weapons are not falling into the hands of criminals, semi-autos, yes, but not autos, leave it to CNN to promote the gun ban agenda as usual
just notice how many times they try to link automatic weapons with so called “assault rifles”
the “assault rifle ban” was not linked to automatics, they have been restricted since 1986 and earlier
John-David
Nov 7, 2007 at 6:47 am
The only thing “scary” about this story is the number of credulous people who will wet their pants believing the “facts” it contains. Grow the hell up, people.
Shameless
Nov 7, 2007 at 7:49 am
What strikes me most about this article is what was left out. I am not merely referring to the ongoing debate between guns versus assault rifles.
Issue 1, “he police department in Palm Beach County is having to engage in an arms race with local criminals and gangs by upping their arsenal considerable. On the streets where AK-47s are seemingly becoming the norm, the old standard issue hand guns just aren’t doing it for the cops.” When one purchases a weapon for defense or hunting, they are looking for, what is the best choice for my money. What I do not see listed in this story is any kind of follow up or detail. When police have arrested these criminals, have they traced the weapons back to a specific gun dealer. Were these weapons even sold legally or were they traced back to weapons reported as stolen during burglaries. There is a high chance that these gang members will have criminal backgrounds. Has it been found that any gun shops have sold weapons to fellons? Are there laws to prevent such as thing in this state/city? Are appropriate actions being taken against those dealers who violate these laws?
Issue 2, “The war on the streets is escalating. As gangs and other criminals pack more firepower, police departments say they find themselves in an arms race.” There is a constant evolution of firearms. Mainly geared towards reliability, accuracy, and reduced productions costs. This will forever be a constant. Law Enforcement Agencies should have realized this long before now. There should be a plan of action in place to periodically evaluate existing threats and resources to counter those threats. If it has been identified that this local agency is under gunned, why are they just now catching up to meet the threat they have been facing since, “CTessaro said he recently attended a conference for the International Association of Chiefs of Police. Among the crime scene tape, squad cars, and other law enforcement gear offered for sale was the latest in high-powered assault weapons.”
Issue 3, “Chief Timoney says he started noticing an increase since the federal assault weapon ban lapsed in 2004″ This goes back to issue 1. You have been seeing increased shootings from rifle calibers. Where are these weapons coming from. Were they purchased after the assault ban lapse? Were all these increased shootings from rifle calibers previously unavailable during the assault ban? One cannot just make a statement like this without any sort of data or proof to back it up. The population increases every day. New guns are purchased every day. Odds are, more people will be shot every day. Its a simple high probability. What does the assault weapon ban have to do with this?
Issue 4, “”They don’t have .38s anymore. They have AK-47s. …They have automatic weapons now,” said Sgt. Pfeil.” Last I checked, automatic weapons are still illegal. Class 3 weapons have many restrictions and require BATF approval, sometimes local state/city approval before a citizen can purchase one. Even then, these are automatic weapons made before the assault weapons ban. It is not uncommon for them to cost $20,000 or more. The automatic weapons police are encountering, were they purchased legally as class 3, purchased illegally from the streets or black market, or illegally converted from semi-automatic to full-automatic? Where is the follow-up here?
Last Issue, “But it takes time and money to arm everyone. In the case of Palm Beach Sheriff’s office, about one-third of its deputies carry assault weapons. It could take a year to get everyone equipped.” This outrages me. I have the highest respect for law enforcement officials. The fact that they have to put their lives on the line day in and day out, under equipped is rediculous. How the hell did this happen? A threat has been identified, they are not equally equipped for the criminals they are facing. Why has the state, local government, and federal government not helped to allocate the necessary resources. Our president is trying to pass a bill for $200 Million or Billion for the good of our soldiers in Iraq. Why is the same care not being taken for our soldiers here? I am referring to the men and women who wear the badge and face getting shot at and stabbed every day just as a soldier on a front line would. Okay, many not exactly like a front line soldier but the threat is just as real. How did these officers get to a state where they have to pay for their own equipment in order to continue to protect all of us?!?!
I personally feel Susan Candiotti (CNN reporter) was trying to convey the fact that these police officers were under equipped for what they were facing. That there is an urgent need to help this local enforcement agency. However, she seems to have added an “anti-assault weapon” theme to the article which takes away from its true purpose. We need to insure that our local law enforcement agencies have the resources they need to continue to protect themselves and us.
Forgive the spelling, was reading the article and writing the reply before work. God bless.
Ariel
Nov 7, 2007 at 8:12 am
Wow, this article stirred up a whole lot more emotion that I expected. Before my commenters get any more angry let me reiterate the thought I had in mind when I posted this article.
What I read was that cops in Miami are having to use automatic rifles because the gangs they’re having to fight are also carrying automatic rifles. To me, this is concerning. I’m used to seeing police carrying these things in Mexico, Israel, and other more insecure countries, but I was not aware that this was becoming the norm in the US
Unlike the CNN article, nowhere do I make any arguments about gun control, the second amendment, or whether or not police “should” be carrying AK-47s or the like. My point is that it scares me that it seems like they must.
With these clarifications in mind, could my readers please let me know:
1) Is it not in fact true that Miami police are packing a whole lot more heat?
2) Is this isolated to an apparently gang ridden and increasingly violent Miami or is this the norm elsewhere?
and 3) Is there any reason we should not be concerned about the security of our cities when the police come to feel that the standard issue handguns are insufficient to keep them safe on the job?
Thanks again to all of my quite passionate readers for your comments.
Josh
Nov 7, 2007 at 8:30 am
Honestly, it’s a misconception all around with respect to “assault” weapons of any kind.
People are blurring the line on purpose for political purposes on BOTH sides of this issue. An AR-15, as anyone with any gun knowledge knows, can be turned fully auto by a very simple procedure. My Dad (a former Marine counter-insurgency warfare instructor during Vietnam) can do it in a very short amount of time, and he’s not a gunsmith. An AK-47, on the other hand is fully auto capable just like an M-16 is.
Liberal, Conservative…you all have axes to grind. Now, I’m not a toe-tag liberal, but I’m not even for a second going to believe Fox is any better than CNN when it comes to slanting issues to pander to their own viewer’s prejudices.
Fact is, in my opinion, and this is the considered opinion of an ex-Army troop trained in the assault weapons prevalent in the 1980’s, any weapon you can rapid fire is an assault weapon. That can be anything from an standard 22 Automag pistol to a SAW in my frame of references.
Home defense is a very serious issue, and there is NOTHING that requires a friggin assault weapon in your own house. You’re more of a danger to your family than you are to the crook. Anyone knows a pump shotgun is all you need. Only if you live on a farm would you need a rifle like that to defend your home. People in crowded apartment complexes and town houses are a threat to my safety if they have these weapons for “home defense”.
The NRA is just as bad as the anti-gun lobby is when it comes to things like this.
Dustin
Nov 7, 2007 at 8:36 am
Lies, Lies, & more Lies. CNN is at it again, propagating lies, mis-information, & propaganda. You’d think a large organization like CNN could afford to hire somebody who could explain to their writers what an assault rifle is.
Maggoty
Nov 7, 2007 at 3:32 pm
It’s completely normal for city cops to carry a riot gun in the cab and have AR-15’s in the trunk.
after the LA bank robbery was when this change really hit, thats why this story is really kind of a blast from the past. Police have been using these weapons since the 90’s and the fact that a sheriffs department in florida (smuggling central) is just now getting these weapons should be the point of concern.
they should have had these weapons years ago.
Also in response to home defence, I can make a case for using a carbine version of the AR-15, as I am trained with the M-4, and used it in combat, I’m much less likely to shoot my neighbors with that then with a shotgun on which I have no training.
well unless my neighbors shoot at me but I doubt they’d do that :p.
Shameless
Nov 7, 2007 at 4:13 pm
1) Is it not in fact true that Miami police are packing a whole lot more heat?
I am unable to find any resource at this time which can confirm if Miami police are more heavily armed than in previous years.
2) Is this isolated to an apparently gang ridden and increasingly violent Miami or is this the norm elsewhere?
I know that in Ohio, in densely populated suburban areas, some police cruisers were issued the PS-90. A submachine gun with a 50 round magazine. But this was issued as a back up weapon last I recall. The standard side arm is still either a 9mm or 40s&w pistol. The only other city I recall being up-armed is Los Angeles after the Hollywood shootout.
and 3) Is there any reason we should not be concerned about the security of our cities when the police come to feel that the standard issue handguns are insufficient to keep them safe on the job?
Any time the local law enforcement feels that it has insufficient resources to keep itself and its citizens safe, we should be concerned.
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