The topic has been covered by a slew of other gun bloggers, but Sebastian uses it to bring up a good question:
If I can’t have it, because it’s not useful for self-defense, then it’s not useful for police self-defense either, right?
I find myself in agreement with him there. If some SWAT team needs machine guns to raid my neighbors house, where they have the advantage of numbers, certainly I should be entitled to the same weapons when I’m the sole person defending my home against an unknown number of attackers.
Then again, we’re not talking about SWAT teams here, we’re talking about patrol officers. All they’re doing is driving around in the same neighborhoods that we live in. What about the people that live in those areas that are surrounded by the very same criminal element that would visit violence on a police officer?
I say they should be armed equally.
Not that I’d actually want an M4 for my home defense rifle. I tend to favor the Make-Big-Holes school of thought so I either keep an 870 with 00 Buck handy or a Marlin 1894C stoked with some .357 loads from Buffalo Bore.
It isn’t about protection of the ‘officers,’ nor is it really about matching the supposed firepower of the street gangs (if it was, an M4 is the last weapon anyone would issue them). It’s about psychology, and acceptance on the part of the citizenry. Get used to seeing Officer Joe walk up to your car with his M4 trained on you the next time you get pulled over, as the police state continues to progress forward.
Eventually they will be wearing light blue helmets as well.
“It’s about psychology, and acceptance on the part of the citizenry.”
Yeah, I have to admit there is that element there. I saw an article out of Springfield, MA where the police force is going to an all black uniform just for the intimidation factor.
Policde and civilians are different in one main way. The normal “civilian” is not even remotrly as likely to have to defend themselves as snOfficer, Why? Police are expected to go TOWARD gunfire while the cicilian can escape if possible. In your homes a 12 guage pump with bird shot at close range is deadly. While most police shootings take place at short range, it is not always true.Police have the right to break traffic laws if it is NECESSARY but are still liable if they cause an accidednt. By the same token they need more “GUN” than someone that does not have the responsibility of an officer.