|
Date: Wed, 11 Jul 2001 13:23:34 +1000
From: "A.Bernhardt" <**@**.COM.AU>
Subject: Re: CCW (#2001-387)
Dear List,
Its rare that I make comments
or put in my 2 cents worth but I will be on this issue.
For all my mates in the US,
think yourselves lucky that you CAN carry off-duty, that you CAN carry
spare ammo, that you CAN have a shotgun in in the car, that you HAVE
decent training and supervisors who know what they're on about. I was
impressed with the professionalism and level of expertise shown by all the
police departments when I traveled throughout the US last year.
Slightly different in
Australia, we CANNOT carry off-duty, CANNOT carry more than 1 spare
magazine (unless you're a weapons trainer and its for training purposes
only), DON'T have shotguns anymore (they're all locked away at central
store in the city! or carried by our SWAT team that take 3 hours to get
authorisation to activate and call out). We have firearms training (94
rounds), defensive tactics and baton training once per year. We can't go
to the range whenever we feel like to maintain firearms proficiency. If we
want to shoot, have to join a pistol club but can't use police issue
weapon. However at least the department changed over to Glocks after we
lost 2 officers at a domestic violence related shooting who had revolvers.
As for carry off duty, I got a
death threat when working gangs in Sydney last year and applied for
permission to carry my firearm off-duty. Others in my unit also got
threats. We took the threat very seriously after scoped rifle, 2 glocks,
numerous other SLP's and police ID cards were located during search
warrant. But guess what, permission was declined as the risk assessment
they conducted said 'Insufficient Information'. Their alternate solution
to fix the problem I was to transferred immediately. 2 other officers
following me not long after on compassionate grounds. We were not happy as
we'd spent months making changes to the unit to specifically address the
gang problem in our area of Sydney.
You need to stand united to
ensure you don't loose that right to defend yourselves and your family.
The outcome if US Law Enforcement can't recognise the need for officers
from either other counties or states to carry will be simplesimple.....You'll
all end up in my position: "Lock the Glock away at the end of the shift
and go home with nothing"
Stay safe and wear your vests!
Adam Bernhardt
NSW Police
AUSTRALIA
Note: This is MY opinion from streetwork. Not the
official opinion of the NSW Police.
|
