Studies show that police officers overwhelmingly oppose stricter gun control laws. Eddie Garcia, San Jose’s police chief, isn’t one of those officers.
Last month, I had a long phone conversation with Chief Garcia while he was driving to a meeting. We talked about issues involving the local department, but most of our discussion veered toward national issues: gun violence, the Black Lives Matter movement and the headlines of the previous weeks, as police officers in Dallas and Baton Rouge were ambushed and killed.
Chief Garcia had some strong—and surprising—opinions on gun control, as well as the inability of lawmakers to enact meaningful change. We discussed whether police officers should be among the biggest champions of gun control, especially when so many officer-involved shootings are motivated by a fear that civilians could be armed and dangerous. From there, the conversation turned to race and how law enforcement at large views Black Lives Matter.
Unlike the union that represents San Jose police officers, Garcia sympathized with issues Black Lives Matter protesters have raised.
“I think it’s a very valid movement,” Chief Garcia told me in a follow-up conversation Sunday. “We have to acknowledge as a police department that this badge didn’t always stand for what it stands for today. We’ve got to admit things.”
The badge still stands as a symbol of oppression to some—just see the furor over the stance, or seat, of 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick—but going back to our talk in July: on some points, the chief and I agreed. On others, we respectfully disagreed.
Before we got off the phone, though, I realized how rare it is to have a candid conversation like this with law enforcement, especially when the person on the other end of the line is the top cop in the 10th biggest city in the nation.
I asked Chief Garcia if he would be willing to go on the record about his views, and he immediately agreed. It took some time to schedule, but below is an email Q&A with San Jose Police Chief Eddie Garcia.
Josh Koehn: What are your thoughts on the Second Amendment?
Chief Garcia: It’s a very important amendment, and obviously very polarizing. I agree with the right to bear arms, but I equally believe in the limitations that have been placed by our courts. One aspect that I find interesting is that the Second Amendment was adopted in the late 1700s. I wonder if today’s modern weaponry were available then, if that amendment would look the same. I suspect not.
Do you think there are too many guns on American streets?
Absolutely.
Are gun crimes more of an issue in states other than California?
I think gun crimes are an issue for our entire country.
What do you consider an assault rifle?
Simply stated: a compact, long-range capable weapon with high capacity that can be fired very rapidly; originally designed for the military.
Do you think the average non-felon should be able to own an assault rifle?
My belief—and I realize this may not be popular—is that these weapons should be for military and police use only. This is a perfect question to go hand-in-hand with my response to question No. 1.
Do police feel safer knowing that everyday citizens could be carrying a gun? Does the size of the gun matter? (no pun intended)
Again, simply stated: No.
There is so much training that we as officers go through. The technical aspects of the training (i.e. marksmanship and safety) are just the tip of the iceberg. There is so much we want our officers to rely on before using their weapons: de-escalation, CIT (Crisis Intervention Team training), etc.
And as well trained as we are, as seen nationally, there still remain questions on our use of firearms. I certainly would not like to see confrontations between armed citizens and our officers, who understandably would have a difficult time in a split-second decision discerning “good guy with a gun” or “bad guy with a gun.” Their jobs are difficult enough, I don't feel the need to add to that. And, obviously, the higher the caliber the more damage can be caused.
Would you feel safer if we armed our teachers and principals with guns?
Not necessarily. We feel our protocol of “Run, Hide, Defend (Fight)” is the best way to survive campus violence. However, if strict policies and training were in place, I would not object to having a dialogue regarding access to a weapon if all reasonable means have failed and death or serious injury was imminent on a school campus.
What were you doing when you learned about the sniper attack in Dallas?
I was having a meeting, and immediately started following the coverage.
What was your reaction to the events in Dallas and Baton Rouge?
I felt them to be despicable and cowardly. They shook the foundation of our great country.
Do you think the Black Lives Matter movement is dangerous or illegitimate?
I believe the movement to be legitimate, but it needs to be used broadly or better defined. If the issue is the concern over police use of force, which is a valid point, then let's have that conversation.
However, if the issue is strictly that “Black Lives Matter” then we cannot have that conversation without also discussing the homicide rates in certain cities where black lives are lost at the hands of other black lives. I know that this movement isn't trying to say that ONLY Black Lives Matter, but simply that Black Lives Matter ALSO.
Finally, and I don’t believe the responsible individuals looking for reform believe this, especially those who we have been working with in San Jose, but I strongly oppose, as have those in our city looking for reforms, any movement that disgraces the sacrifice of the men and women who wear the uniform and which advocates violence against law enforcement.
What legislation have law enforcement agencies or police chief groups put forward in recent years to curb gun violence?
(Chief Garcia said he did not have information on this question.—Editor)
What legislation have local law enforcement agencies or police chief groups put forward in recent years to address mental illness?
There is recent legislation already on training and how to deal with mental illness that departments have to employ. I just mandated that every member of this department be trained on CIT.
Has the NRA or any other organization impeded these efforts? How so?
My personal belief is that the NRA simply attempts to defend the Second Amendment as it’s written, so if there are any types of proposed restrictions to that, they definitely will step and defend against those. And they have a very strong lobby.
Do you see gun violence and mental illness as related issues?
They are definitely related issues. As first responders, we encounter individuals with firearms and mental issues all too often. Ultimately, it is the families of those lost and my officers—not only physically but also mentally—that suffer most. These encounters can be simply tragic. If we can bridge the gap, between crisis training and gun control, it will make our community safer AND my officers safer.
Is the status quo on gun control in this country acceptable?
Absolutely not. As I've stated, I do believe in the Second Amendment. However, as stated in question one, if it were to be written today, I believe it would be written differently and more strictly defined.
https://www.youtube.com/embed/ QwCCj8Dx-gk
A different point of view from a black man.
Chiefs of Police are politicians. If you really think you were hearing his completely candid thoughts, you’re incredibly naive.
BLM was popularized via the lies of “Hands Up Don’t Shoot”… A media orgy of untruth that continues to this day.
Josh has not, and likely will not, acknowledge the irresponsible reporting he and his so-called professional journalists have done. Most of the time, police use of force IS legally justified and reasonable- it’s the media that portray it otherwise (before investigations or Court cases are completed) and then intentionally fail to correct their stories or report WHY afterward. It would be immensely helpful for Josh to report facts: Local police are overwhelmingly restrained, professional and have rarely (if ever) been convicted of excessive force. The media surely reports otherwise, but facts are facts. Why not publish a story telling folks to obey lawful orders because the police are correct most of the time? That would alleviate nearly every use of force faux-controversy and the others can be fleshed out in Court. The media circus is a hindrance, nothing more.
Today, more than ever, the media is “black and white” on every issue- they interject race into every topic and refuse to see middle ground in any debate. SJI and the Murky Gnus are some of the worst offenders- it’s long past time to call out the Sean Webby’s, Tracy Kaplan’s, Josh Kohn’s and their editors (Barbara Marshman etc) on the disservice they do to their readership.
Really? You got a blind eye to the history of the United States my friend.
“Why not publish a story telling folks to obey lawful orders because the police are correct most of the time? ” Just have all the BLM folks watch Chris Rock’s You Tube “How to Avoid Getting Your Ass Kicked by the Police.” The first method proposed by Chris is OBEY THE LAW!! Others follow.
> SJPD Chief Eddie Garcia: More Gun Control Laws Needed, Black Lives Matter a ‘Valid’ Movement
A salvo in the propaganda war against American culture and civilization bought and paid for by George Soros and the Ford Foundation.
http://www.frontpagemag.com/fpm/263920/bring-funders-black-lives-matter-violence-justice-daniel-greenfield
Those people who think of themselves as “Democrats” should ask themselves how huge reservoirs of “dark money” hijacked by political activists fosters “Democracy”.
What is the ethical difference between “activist” campaigns paid for by the Ford Foundation versus campaigns paid for by Blackeard the pirate?
George Soros? Gosh you really are desperate to just be against everything. I’m surprised that you still willfully live within Santa Clara County.
Its nice to see a police chief have an openness to understand the cries from our streets (that have been howling for too many years and decades). But please continue to provide us with the most enlightening comments that you have blessed us with over the years. You’ve been clearly such a big help every time your mash your fingers against your keyboard.
“… the cries from our streets…”
What a drama queen. The loudest cries in America’s big cities do not come in reaction to anything being done by the police. Far from it. The loudest cries are intended to generate more excuses, more pity, and more free stuff. The riffraff have mastered misery as a lifestyle.
Mass misery in America is produced by people living lives devoid of logic and values, promoted by jackasses intent on destroying our culture and traditions, and exploited by the politicians and hucksters who live far away from it — the cops make a convenient target for all.
Even with the media and camera-toting public trying its best to disgrace American law enforcement, the accumulated evidence (much of it falsely depicted) is but a drop in a national bucket.
Wait a second! Did I just hear a cry from the street? Could it be that Sal has it right?
Nah… it just the neighbor’s damn cat.
Wow, you sound like a good German in the 1930s, railing against those inhuman Jews.
Such clarity of thought, deep understanding, empathy and sensitivity to The Truth!
Thanks for making the world a better place, mein patriotic freundling!
So you see logic and values in the bullet-riddled inner cities? Unbiased reporting and analysis by the media and academia? Responsible reactions to black self-destruction by their community leaders and political representatives? Is that what you see ADR?
Or is it you just see an opportunity here to practice character assassination by association? The three degrees to Hitler analytics popular with lightweights.
@frustratedfinfan – Ya, Godwin’s Law and all that … but sometimes it’s justified in pointing out that, ie in this case, the demonization of a whole section of the population is all it takes for atrocious policies to seem ‘good’. No matter where your media is coming from, there is some bias and clearly the media that you and your fellow believers consume has an agenda that not long ago was considered as far right as … well, THAT era (1930s Germany).
In the world constructed by your media, NO facts that don’t fit the hard right paradigm are legitimate. eg the ‘mainstream media’ is now defined as ALL ‘news’ that isn’t extreme rightwing and doesn’t fit with the world view you think you can see.
Likewise, ALL academic/research findings that don’t are now ‘biased’, etc.
Your version of the complex problems of eg inner cities is a gross over-simplification of complex human and political problems that are too inconvenient to be taken into account by your Fox News/alt. right constructs. The result is a dehumanization of people. Which, as history shows, leads to the most horrific policies/actions.
This chief cop shows he’s intellectually supple enough to accept things that don’t fit the rigid hard right view that you and many fellow posters subscribe to. The result? He’s being vilified in these comments. It’s just too tough for many of you to accept that some things just ARE important factors in analyzing complex problems, like it or not.
But hey, you live in a rational, science-run world, so I’m not sure how your long your anti-gravity, anti-intellectual delusion can last. I pray not long enough to impact the world with the consequences that its warped logic inevitably leads to.
ADR,
I see you managed to respond without offering any evidence to refute my take on the disastrous state of America’s inner cities, or media’s major role in their collapse, or academia’s abject failure in diagnosing the causes. Instead, you characterized my comments as a gross oversimplification of the issues. No sh&#, Sherlock — I wrote a single sentence of about fifty words, but it was apparently enough for you to equate my observations with a political movement in a homogeneous nation that was emerging from defeat in war, dealing with oppressive restrictions and burdensome reparations, devastated by the collapse of its economy, overwhelmed by an invasion of clannish refugees, and confronted by armed, communist revolutionaries. In other words, exactly the type and severity of problems that have Colin Kaepernick so upset.
Well Sherlock, if you’re saying, as you seem to be, that due to all the issues your nation faces it’s inevitable/justified that you’re sounding like a mid-’30s German, then good luck to you in sorting out all those problems. The approach you displayed in that first mini rant about “the riff-raff” (“devoid of logic and values”)- dehumanizing a huge section of the population – didn’t work out great for those Germans who, like you, had been whipped up into a gullible frenzy by Mr Geobbels, the master of modern media. What you say the media are intent on destroying (“promoted by jackasses intent on destroying our culture and traditions”) are in fact open to some serious questioning, any way. By your culture and traditions, do you mean slavery, first nation genocide etc. or are you talking about apple pie and good Christian whiteness. Point is, you all are being whipped up and if you carry on this way, it won’t end well. Never has in history, so what good do you think you’re doing by taking this route now?
(As for evidence of inner city blah blah, not interested in that kind of exchange. Just interested in the fascinating and terrifying spectacle of the USA collapsing in on itself with such speed, as exemplified by the rise of you and your ilke).
Uh, gee, does it not occur to you that there might be a connection between your disastrous Marxist policies and the rise of fascism in response to the chaos and crime and destruction it causes? Who was it who said, “The Action is in the Reaction?” I’m pretty sure it was a communist, maybe Gramsci, maybe Alinskly, maybe it was BF Skinner.
If you deny that a major problem of America’s inner cities is the lack of logic and values then to what do you attribute the lawlessness and violence? What fancy answer do you have to explain a population that disproportionately eschews education, reproduces irresponsibly, rejects personal accountability, and aggressively preys on decent citizens?
It is not I, or people like me, who have dehumanized the inner city, it is the residents who have done it. I can have a negative view of Silicon Valley workers — their attitudes, values, and habits, but that negative view will have no effect upon them. Same thing with inner cities; outsiders opinions, fair or not, are not the problem. The people are the problem, their ignorance exacerbated by the idiots (perhaps you’re one of them) who tell them their problems are caused by others, or make endless excuses for their inexcusable lifestyles.
If it is frenzy that you fear, then your aim should be at those people who have filled huge sections of our major cities with the frenzy of firefights, robberies, drug abuse, and despair. Or maybe at the frenzy with which decent people flee those areas and academics flee from any honest discussion about how to fix them.
The “Good Germans” in the current USA are the Democrats who slavishly follow Hillary, despite her obvious crimes; and the cowardly Comey who admitted all her email lapses, yet declined to recommend prosecution, after getting the clue from Loretta Lynch that she would follow whatever he recommended.; and Hillary’s “what does it matter NOW” proclamation about Benghazi. The BLM morons just don’t get that it is the policies of the Democrats for the last 50+ years, aided and abetted by race traitors like Sharpton and Jackson, that have made a large portion of the black community professional victims, dependent upon government for their food and lodging.
ADR wrote: “(As for evidence of inner city blah blah, not interested in that kind of exchange. Just interested in the fascinating and terrifying spectacle of the USA collapsing in on itself with such speed, as exemplified by the rise of you and your ilke (sic).” Of course you’re not, because the facts on that issue are solidly against your position. Just one statistic from the Democrat controlled DOJ–blacks, who are 13% of the US population commit 52% of the murders.
About 7% of CA’s population, but 48% of 3-strikers in CA prisons are black. Bias (unconscious or otherwise) may play some role in their convictions. It would be tough for me to ignore swastikas on a tatted-up white skinhead accused of a hate crime were I on a jury. But difficult to imagine that bias could account for more than just a small percentage of the disproportionately large difference.
DOJ data show black law enforcement are more likely to shoot black suspects and black suspects are much (about 18X) likelier to shoot cops than a white suspect. Cops understand risks; they live it day in and day out. That there are so relatively few unwarranted shootings is remarkable given the situation.
This isn’t a problem we can police ourselves out of. Better mental health, use of force, and racial sensitivity training may help lower some fatalities (it’s not clear how effective they actually are) , but these do not address root causes.
Police departments get blamed for social problems. The larger issue for me is what cost-effective measures should our society undertake to address these social problems?
Our War On Poverty, War On Drugs, No Child Left Behind, and similar massive social spending programs haven’t seemed to budge the needle. Nor has gun control. Chicago ‘s gun homicide rate just topped last years with 4 months left in 2016. I’m really at a loss to know what to support.
> But please continue to provide us with the most enlightening comments that you have blessed us with over the years. You’ve been clearly such a big help every time your mash your fingers against your keyboard.
Sal:
If there’s anything I can do to ease your pain, just ask. If there’s one thing that Hillary and I agree on it’s that we both deeply care about you.
Now some knuckle dragging low brows might be judgemental and quick to condemn Hillary and me for being sarcastic, but let me assure you that’s not us. Sarcasm is just cheap, mean spirited attention seeking by crude, beer guzzling clods.
This here is Irony: witty, intellectual, and sophisticated. It’s what college professors and columnists for big time newspapers do. It’s because we love you, Sal. We only want the best for you.
No guns? Then get a Jo staff to use against BLM and liberal thugs
So cheify wants to BAN all the EEEEEEEEEVIL black rifles. Or as he put it, “rifles designed for the military”. So cheify, would you exclude the BOLT ACTION rifle, designed in the 1890’s? That was a “military” design. Or the WWII Garand? How about a smooth bore muzzleloading black powder rifle, like was used to FREE this country from British rule? See, ALL RIFLES, most shotguns and many pistols were designed for MILITARY use. Actually chiefy just wants to CONFISCATE gunz from non-official hands. LIKE YOURS. Can’t have a good communist totalitarian country when the peasants are armed. Just ask the Venezuelans, Cubans or N. Koreans.
I am a bit confused here. It seems to me that anti-Police groups are receiving the attention of the Police Chief and the SJPOA, but groups praying for our Officers, and our City are being ignored. I’m just curious as to why our Police Chief will attend public meetings where groups will bash the Police, yell at him, and attack a deceased SJPD Officer’s Mother when she says Blue Lives matter also, but won’t attend a public prayer vigil for our Police and victims of homicide?
I’m also curious as to why the SJPOA was a co-sponsor of the July 2016, community meeting where Officer Johnson’s mother was verbally attacked, but won’t attend these prayer vigils either. Yes, they’ve been invited to ALL our vigils and don’t even acknowledge the invitation.
I find it hypocritical of the SJPD,the SJPOA, and our electeds to support one group, and ignore the other. What ever happened to supporting community bridge building?
Politics, Kathleen. It’s politically acceptable for the Chief to attend a meeting of people who don’t like the police. Attending a gathering which is only supportive of the police would bring about negative media attention. Politically, any positive statement about the police must also acknowledge the legitimacy of a movement that’s based primarily on lies and mythology. You need to stop being so nice, honest and supportive.
Pete: It’s not just politically acceptable, it’s politically REQUIRED. It’s probably in the Duty Manual.
Pete Malloy- “You need to stop being so nice, honest and supportive.” If I did that, I’d be just like “them!” Not going to happen.
Politics be damned! These Officers who put their lives on the line for me everyday, deserve my prayers and my public support! And so do families of homicide victims. If our Police Chief, the SJPOA, and electeds want to allow these groups, politics, and the media to frighten them into hiding and silence, then shame on them!
As Dr. King once said, “The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy.”
> As Dr. King once said, “The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy.”
Good quote!
I also like: “Free at last! Free at last! Thank God Almighty, we are free at last!”
How ironic! Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. is now an icon of the Libertarian Party, and the Democratic Party promotes racial isolationists, black-on-black criminals, and cop killers.
It’s worse than you say. The criminals and their anti-police sympathizers are lauded and justified, while the law abiding and peaceful gun owners are insulted and denigrated as if they were the problem. The truth about all this is it’s an out and out lie that the Police Chief of San Jose believes that the guns in the hands of citizens are the cause of the murders, he knows dam well that the Black Lives Matter communists are the instigators of the vast majority of the violence. The problem is it is impolitic in the left wing Marxist dominated Bay Area to say that criminal gangs mostly of color are who drive up the murders statistics; doesn’t fit the communist narrative.
Given Josh Koehn’s previous fact-challenged articles on this topics, one wonders to what extent the story reflects Chief Garcia’s views versus Koehn’s opinion validation.
James Holmes (Aurora) and Adam Lanza (Sandy Hook) certainly fit the Hollywood stereotype of psychotic killers. By all accounts they were deeply disturbed. Charles Whitman (Texas Tower) suffered from a brain tumor. He sought medical attention, but it went undiagnosed and untreated. In virtually all instances of gun aggression by the dangerous mentally ill, warnings were observed by family members or health care professionals. And ignored. Lanza’s mother apparently didn’t even keep her gun safe locked.
While CIT training may reduce the number of SJPD shootings of elderly women armed with pairing knives, it’s unlikely to be helpful elsewhere. It certainly would not have saved Officer Johnson’s life from an angry serial domestic abuser hopped up on alcohol and a witches brew of Kaiser-supplied drugs – the DA’s report makes no mention of Kaiser reporting killer Scott Dunham to officials to have his firearms seized. Instead, Kaiser loaded him up with more drugs.
Law enforcement and health care providers are granted an exemption to HIPAA exclusions in reporting mental health concerns to the FBI’s firearms background check system. “As first responders, we encounter individuals with firearms and mental issues all too often”, Chief Garcia is quoted. The risk is exceptionally small. FBI records show over 3 million mental health record submissions and 6,000 prohibited persons attempting to acquire firearms – 0.2% i..e, less than 1/2 a percentage point.
But what number and percentage of mental heath related firearms does SJPD seize? Disturbed owners reported to the FBI? If “all too often”, what is SJPD doing about it?
So many other errors:
“obviously, the higher the caliber the more damage can be caused.” Nope. Higher calibers risk over penetration i.e. less damage. Magazines can’t hold as many rounds either. The FBI and many police departments have moved to lower calibers such a 9mm.
“Assault weapon” definition. Assault weapons are automatic and prohibited for civilian use – look it up. Chief Garcia confuses them with modern sporting rifle aka “black guns”. MSRs are appreciably less lethal than wooden stock firearms one can buy at sporting goods retailers.
Civilian carry. Despite Chief Garcia’s fears, police in “shall issue” states – including CA counties like Fresno, don’t incur a higher rate of police or civilian shootings where open or concealed carry is allowed. Dallas police didn’t fire on armed BLM demonstrators during the sniper attack or vice versa.
Officer training. The vast majority of officers only shoot 2X / year to qualify. Statistics from Chicago & NY PD show only about 18% of shots actually hit the intended target. FBI says the average gunfight is 10 feet. SWAT units are well trained, but the average cop is a poor shot.
Second Amendment: At the time, farmers owned the same firearms as the Continental Army. If Chief Garcia’s point applied to the First Amendment, only printing presses would be lawful for free speech. No phones, radio, Internet, etc.
Josh, you neglected to ask more important questions about violence reduction. How many firearm plea bargains does Jeff Rosen accept? What type of sentence reductions do criminals with firearms receive? How often are friends and family charged with providing firearms to prohibited persons? Why does firearm theft have fewer consequences than a serious felony?
We can infer that Mrs. Lanza kept her gun cabinet locked. The gun cabinet was one of those Homak-style wrinkled-metal boxes, with two locks made to fit a cylindrical key — not a combination lock.
The week of the massacre, Mrs. Lanza left for a midweek getaway. Adam Lanza attempted to buy a rifle the first day she was gone, but never completed the sale. If he had access to the gun cabinet, why try to buy a rifle?
No massacre occurred on any subsequent day when Mrs. Lanza was gone.
The morning of the massacre, Adam Lanza shot his mother dead with a Marlin .22, the sort of first gun that boys in this country used to receive at age 12, even though there was at least one handgun in the cabinet. Why use such an underpowered, unwieldy weapon? Obviously because it was the only firearm available to him. We can infer that Mrs. Lanza kept the gun cabinet key on her person, because if Adam had access to the weapons he eventually took to the school, then why would he try to buy a rifle, and why did he wait till his mother returned?
Only after his mother was dead did he take the weapons to the school.
Thanks. Good points and fodder for endless speculation. The central point is there were ample warning signs at least 5 years before as documented in the Office of Child Advocate’s report. Of course hindsight is always 20-20.
Thanks for this exposé on the police chief. He certainly comes across as an ambitious anti-American.
Typically, he completely disregards his officers on the street, who know more about the issue than he does. He also disregards the millions upon millions of Americans who are and always have been law-abiding citizens. He wants to disarm them. Of course, that wouldn’t apply to him.
This police chief is just a sycophant, sucking up to the self-serving career pols who appointed him. But if he had to face the voters he’d be singing a different tune.
And as we know, the federal government has been caught red-handed running illegal guns by the thousands into Mexico, hoping that those guns would be used illegally in the U.S., thereby creating an emotional issue to use in their efforts to demonize the 2nd Amendment and law abiding citizens. They got their wish: Americans were killed by those guns that the country’s top cop, Eric Holder, illegally put into the black market with our tax money.
Too bad for Holder, the accessory to murder got caught running illegal guns. I’ll bet $10,000 that Eric Holder is on Obama’s pardon list. Anyone want to fade me?
This article misrepresents the facts, as usual. Anyone can collect some dirtbags like the ones pictured, and pass around the kleenex. But here are a few facts that the leftist media never mentions:
Since Obama’s first election the number of guns in the hands of private citizens is at an all-time high, more than doubling, while the homicide rate has declined to a 51-year low
(source: http://tiny.cc/j6phey )
Those two facts alone demolish the arguments of the gun confiscation cult. In many situations the police cannot be of any help; the violent crime has been perpetrated before they’re on the way. And of course, if honest citizens are told it is illegal to posess self defense weapons, many of them will turn in their guns. Will criminals turn in their guns, too? The question answers itself.
It’s crystal clear what is intended: the elimination of guns in private hands. Obama is lying (cue Gomer Pyle: “Suprise, suprise…”) when he says no one wants to take firearms away from honest, law abiding citizens. That is exactly what he intends. Obama has already ordered the Social Security Administration to cross-check gun owners with SS recipients. Now, why would that be?
The NY Times explains that Social Security recipients would be classsified as “prohibited persons”, thus denying them the right to buy a gun, even though they had never committed a crime. The Times says that Obama’s flagrant end run around the 4th Amendment…
…is intended to bring the Social Security Administration in line with laws regulating who gets reported to the National Instant Criminal Background Check System, or NICS, which is used to prevent gun sales to felons, drug addicts, immigrants in the country illegally and others. A potentially large group within Social Security are people who, in the language of federal gun laws, are unable to manage their own affairs due to “marked subnormal intelligence, or mental illness, incompetency, condition, or disease.”
See? Once you reach 62 and begin to collect Social Security, you become incompetent, mentally ill, dieased, or of subnormal intelligence. The Administration says so.
Obama is also targeting military veterans: the VA has already informed a veteran he is on the “prohibited persons” list because he sought treatment for insomnia, even though his doctor said he was no threat whatever to himself or anyone else.
Finally, we can be 100.0% certain that if Ms. ‘Obama 2.0’ is elected, that she will ratchet up the attacks on law abiding gun owners and the Bill of Rights…
…that is, if Hillary Clinton even makes it to the finish line: http://tiny.cc/62qhey
Smokey, the SSA / NICS matter is a bit more nuanced. As I understand it, NCIS applies when a SSA recipient designates someone else to have financial authority. As you correctly point out, this decision bears no relationship to the recipient’s competency or risk to others.
Many men choose to have their wives handle finances. It becomes increasingly important with age as our wives typically outlive us – far easier to have them handling financial matters when we predecease them. It puts seniors in the tough position of making our spouses lives easier once we die or enjoying hunting and target practice as long as we’re able.
The administration claims there is an appeal process, but it appears it’s ‘grab their guns first and delay appeals’ in practice. No ‘must return / must allow’ within 30 days unless a competency hearing determines otherwise – or other safeguards.
SJPD isn’t much better. Nothing prevents Rodriguez from buying more guns, but SJPD won’t return ones they seized. http://www.nbcbayarea.com/news/local/San-Jose-Woman-Sues-City-Police-for-Access-to-Her-Guns-322466031.html
Josh missed an opportunity to ask about it. The standard response would be “We can’t discuss matters of pending litigation.”, but he could have asked, “Would you do it again?” Word to the wise, never allow SJPD to enter your home or take property without a warrant. Never answer answer if asked if you have firearms in your home.
He is probably a peter puffer.
Exactly like that nimrod Chief from Richmond right ?
It’s a shame the Chief of Police knows neither the rationale for the Second Amendment — yes it was to arm the citizenry against an arbitrary, intrusive and tyrannical government — nor does he know firearms history — yes the framers of the Constitution were aware of twenty plus round semi-automatic military rifles https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-pqFyKh-rUI — also ALL firearms technology, with the possible exception of the shotgun, started out as weapons for war.
Watch out for people like this guy who claim to be pro-2nd Amendment, then proceed to pick apart every aspect of firearms ownership. He’s a traitor and doesn’t deserve the position he holds.
Eddie Garcia’s opinions about gun control and the BLM movement interest me about as much as does Colin Kaepernick’s puddle-deep thoughts on freedom in America. Both men are currently failing in their positions and don’t need another arena in which to stumble. Mr. Garcia was appointed to head a department in crisis and, as the raw numbers make clear, he has yet to complete a pass.
The department is understaffed, that everyone knows, and while it would be unfair to expect EG to have magically restored it to its former state, it would not be unfair to expect that he would’ve exhausted himself getting the message out to the only source of help that has not politically boxed itself into a corner: the public. The current “emergency” has existed during his entire tenure. The public should’ve been told understaffing was jeopardizing its safety and that of its officers; it should’ve been warned that overtime’s physical toll was draining the force of its resilience with each passing month; it should’ve been alerted to the recruiting crisis and accurately informed of its causes; it should’ve been provided a doomsday clock displaying the countdown to complete breakdown (which now appears unavoidable).
But EG didn’t do that, instead, taking his cues from San Jose’s snake-in-the-grass mayor, he protected his hindquarters and went on allowing his officers and citizens to absorb the peril. Only now, after his own commander saw the sky falling as he attempted to craft next quarter’s manpower plan, has EG added his voice to the alarm, albeit as an echo to Liccardo’s.
But the alarm was too late in coming. The sky will hit the ground within the year. The only large police academies that will affect staffing will be those of the early ’90’s that are now retiring. Liccardo lied about the just-in-time big hires and EG stayed obediently mum.
This city’s elected officials, appointed bureaucrats, and media – all of whom played key roles in destroying the SJPD, have worked hard to keep the public from connecting the crisis to the lies and distortions they once enthusiastically marketed as “reform.” The unrelenting grind of this crisis: the bleeding of manpower, the rejection from job-seekers, the physical and mental exhaustion of employees, have produced the numerical evidence to force most of the culpable to give ground (soft landing on new distortions), but some resist, staying the course of their political vendettas and prepared to go down with their own stupidity. Mr. Khamis, with his short-bus conspiracy theory about the POA sabotaging the recruiting process, deserves to be removed from office, outfitted with a push broom, and retrained for his new career. Mr. Oliverio, who has childish visions of bold rescuers from afar, deserves that which he fears most: to sink into insignificance.
One opinion of the chief’s I would like to hear is what he thinks about steroid use, a topic about which he does have expertise. Given his position as a department role model (while scurrying up the promotional ladder), I wonder if, once the pending steroid scandal hits the press, he (and the mayor who hired him) are going to be held accountable for having set a ruinous and illegal example?
If the police are hopelessly racist and out to get black people, and guns are the cause of all the shooting, then who is going to disarm black people?
“I think it’s a very valid movement,” Chief Garcia: Really? No, I mean really? Chief, I think you need to do more research on this topic, and then re-think your statement again. It plainly is a racist, angry movement. Perhaps you need to listen to what they are saying as captured on video. They are the new Black Panther Movement, and would you make the same comment about that organization. Perhaps you need to listen to a number of presentations by Sheriff David Clarke. He gets it. In your history research, do you remember Neville Chamberlain?
Too late, Sal. The liberal/progressives who run the Bay Area and the State decided long ago that only white people can be racist, never black people; and the mainstream media took that position nationwide.
Has there been a chief since McNamara left in 1991 who wasn’t a PC ass kisser of the Mayor, Council, and City Manager? Surely there were one or two. Help me out here, ‘cuz I can’t remember any.
This man’s anti constitution and racist comments should disqualify him from his position. Unfortunately, in CA his comments only elevate him. What a disgrace
Seems to me a disarmed helpless, beholding, society is the first goal of every totalitarian government.
Perhaps Josh and the chief could entertain us with these questions.
What arms do you think law abiding citizens and supporters of the police and a legitimate government, should be allowed to keep?
Do you think anyone in our government should be supplying firearms to drug running criminals and or terrorist here or in other countries?
Do you think being a cop in a sanctuary city makes life for the street cop more dangerous than in a law and order city?
Do you think being a member of BLM should put you on an FBI watch list for no gun sales?
Do you think anyone who wants to own a firearm is mentally unfit to own one?
Inquiring minds just want to know!
There’s a crime emergency in San Jose and a shortage of police and this @$$-Klown wants to disarm the law abiding citizens? Or at least he talks smack about citizens bearing arms in their own defense? WTF? If I lived in San Jose the first thing I’d do is go to the barrio or the ghetto and obtain me an AK, er something, imported from Mexico or China by the likes of Leland Yee, bless his corrupt little heart.
Empty – I’d add lack of reporting to your list.
Anyone else notice that SJPD’s response time data has disappeared? The last set I recall was at Reed’s farewell State of the City. It showed Priority 2 calls well over their 11 minute response objective. Believe P1 was close to the objective, but other priorities were far off the mark. Can’t find anything since then and suspect it’s much worse given our Emergency declaration.
On balance, it seems SJPD is doing a remarkable job under the circumstances. One typically reads about arrests within a week or two of a violent crime incident. Unless arresting someone just for the PR value (cough Los Angeles), SJPD’s triage looks to be working as well as can be expected.
However, I’ve never seen data on failed convictions. How many times are arrests deemed flawed, suspects released or charges fail to stick due to PD misconduct?
Interesting that neither Chief Garcia or Josh focused on basic job performance instead of distractions like BLM and firearms.
We know that hands up don’t shoot was a lie cause we all know that Michael Brown should have got what got coming to him. One he robbed a store and the tries to hijack a police car to get his gun. That mourn deserved to get shoot but yeah after then cries wolf by saying hands up don’t shoot. Give me a break. Now we Eddie the Chief in Calif. Well that explain everything that cause police in Cali are big DEMOCRATS. Plus he is probably up are reelection so yeah half of Calif and San Jose are BLM supports even though people don’t want to admit that it’s a terrorist group. Black lives Matters is nothing but a hate group and should be charge with hate criminals and terrorist criminals. American of this decade is nothing more than idiots cause we allow people to tell us that Whites are bad cause we are privileged. Im sorry last time I checked blacks, whites, spanish, chineese, and etc can go to college. Im sorry if people dont’ apply themselves to get grades to go school or scholarships. If they work hard they can go to college and if they are a minority they get a scholarship to that school anyway. Im sick and tired of people blaming whites for their bad choices or mistakes in life. People just listen to NBC, ABC, Communist new network aka CNN, to much they are bigots and have the agenda of OBAMA to divide this nation by dividing the races and middle classes. Gun control is bogus cause GUNS DON’T KILL PEOPLE, PEOPLE KILL PEOPLE. Make it hard for buying it off the street and that is gun control.
Black Lives Matter is an emotional reaction to watching sons and relations shot be police. Period. Whether justified or in cold blood. It surely is overwhelming for the black community to need to teach their sons how not to get shot and to fear for their child in this world. With that said, the Black Lives Matter agenda jumped from a plea for police constraint to alignment with Palestinians. Huh?! This alignment shows the movement has been likely hijacked by the evil Hamas created BDS movement raising its ugly head throughout the world and upon our college campuses. Black Lives Matter lost me when they allowed this usurption.
Rose Garden,
Actually it was George Soro’s and the Ketchup Queens influxes money of left wing money that keep the fire burning at BLM.
I wonder if all paranoid right-wingers pepper their self-congratulatory frenzy with non-sequitor swipes against Hillary and misquotes from MLK? Maybe someday you’ll get the meds you so desperately need through Obamacare.
Better act fast. Obamacare is crashing in flames as economists predicted. Major insurers have withdrawn from the market with more on the way. Younger, healthy citizens have failed to enroll at the rate needed to make it viable. A massive funding infusion will be required to sustain it.
I support national health, but the keystone legacy of Obama’s presidency has become it’s millstone. Sadly neither he nor other elected officials are dependent on it.
The only Meds Obama care needs to keep everyone happy is more weed man!
Chief Garcia’s statement that only the military and police should have access to guns is too funny. It seems the current issue is that police are shooting unarmed citizens. Perhaps creating mandatory gun contol regulations for police personnel would eliminate or reduce many of shootings nationwide.
With all the training the police have in firearms, de-escalation, and Crisis Intervention, one wonders why the San Jose police shot dead a 19 year old woman armed with only a cordless drill, two Augusts ago.
Interesting anecdote about cordless drills, I attended a firearms training course where we got to do one of those live action courses where the cardboard cut outs of good guys and bad guys pop up and you have a split second to decide which to shoot. All the civilians refrained from shooting the guy with the cordless drill, whilst every professional law enforcement person shot the guy instantly. Not saying the cops were wrong and the benefit to them is none of those cops are going to get drilled, as it were, so to speak, but, I found it interesting in terms of the variance in mind set.
Oh you mean the woman, who’s very own family called 911 reporting she had a gun? Beter to leave some of the important facts out to promote your hate and bias.
“The family … reported she had a gun”? Well case closed, then. The police’s ability to recognize armed threats is no greater than the most untrained and firearms-ignorant civilian’s. Thanks for clearing that up.
Further, I’ve wanted to hear that 911 recording. Do you know where I can access it?
Finally, in my experience, the only time when my “very own family” calls is on my birthday, to serenade me with “Happy Birthday.” Else, it is just one family member. I wonder why the deceased’s family would have taken the group approach.
Looks like we have a volunteer to join the “Outside Opinion Protective Shield,” the new program aimed at transforming what has long considered to be an odoriferous waste product of law enforcement (tenacious, but untested, civilian critics) into “shoot, don’t shoot” umpires at active critical incidents. The plan is, when time allows, to position a wall of OOPS between the threatening subject(s) and the police officers in such a way as to greatly reduce the danger to the officers while theoretically increasing the validity of the shoot, don’t shoot decision. The plan’s proponents seek to take advantage of both the faultless judgment and fearlessness claimed by so many cocksure civilians, while opponents of the plan scoff that, once placed in actual peril, the volunteers will react either by freezing in fear and wetting themselves or by screaming hysterically, “Shoot ’em, please shoot ’em!”
Hon, the chief asserted that police training made them more qualified to carry a gun than the everyday citizen. I disagreed, and nothing you have typed has contradicted me.
Chiexpat, I can see a couple of arguments to support Chief Garcia’s assertion “that police training made them more qualified to carry a gun than the everyday citizen.”
Hiring. SJPD impresses me with the caliber of its officers. SJPD goes to extraordinary lengths to find a rare mix of patience, friendliness, honesty, and integrity. Certainly not true for all police, but on balance I’m impressed though it has downsides. I routinely tucked a $20 behind my drivers license when I lived in Chicago to beat moving violations, but wouldn’t consider it in SJ. Unlike Chicago PD, I’ve never been clubbed or pepper sprayed in a demonstration in SJ or seen such behavior. The Occupy protest at city hall just elicited a yawn from SJPD.
Values reenforcement. Without ongoing reenforcement of values, entropy prevails. I have no specific knowledge, but assume SJPD routinely reminds officers of what’s deemed important. The absence of reenforcement has been cited many times in DOJ assessments. Oakland and Ferguson are two examples of police forces operating under consent decrees as a result of low values reenforcement.
Since we don’t know Chief Garcia’s definition of “qualified”, he can interpret it anyway he chooses.
Given two competing narratives, one must be correct? They can’t both be wrong? The one I detailed was given by Brown’s killer.
Always remember, that after the initial confrontation, the cop tracked Michael Brown down to relieve the tension of having been disrespected.
People without a natural command presence should not become cops — simple as that.
It must be really convenient to ignore the facts, especially when they completely refute the false narrative that you and many others so desperately want to believe. It was the physical evidence that confirmed the officer’s version of events. Obama and Holder wanted Ofc. Wilson’s head on a platter. Unfortunately for them, but fortunately for the cause of Justice, the indisputable physical evidence led straight to the truth. By proving yourself uninterested in the truth, you’ve exposed yourself for who you truly are. It’s you that holds the bias.
Imagine how delusional one must be to assume themselves capable of assessing the effectiveness of the demeanor of an officer one has never met. And while we’re in an imagining frame of mind, imagine how ignorant one must be to assume the effectiveness of command presence (or any police technique, non-lethal weapon, etc.) can be accurately assessed based solely on a single incident.
Traditionally, game belonged to the nobility on whose land it lived or visited. In the US game belongs to the state. There is no right to take the property of another. Hunting is a privilege paid for through taxes and fees, not a right.
“There is no right to take the property of another.” SCOTUS disagreed in the 2005 Kelo decision. New London CT still hasn’t developed the seized property. A recent Reddit photo showed a weed-filled lot inhabited by feral cats.
“Hunting is…not a right.” I believe Alabama has declared it so unless specifically prohibited by posting, unsure about others states. It’s considered a right in tribal lands. Whaling is allowed for native people that have traditionally relied on it.
I wish METRO had asked the Chief about events now just three months old when his department clearly violated a major civil right brought about by the scandal surrounding another law man in the Sixties, Bull Connor. It was as a result of Connor’s refusal to allow citizens to use the streets and sidewalks that triggered the serious look at the civil right for free and unthreatened use of streets and sidewalks. The Mayor and Chief both had more than adequate warning to protect the civil right mentioned herein, yet allowed a violent rent-a-mob to assault and harass people guilty of no more than attending a political event. Political speech, liked or unliked, is the very core of the right to freedom of speech, yet this Mayor and this Chief worked together to put a chill on any such expression in San Jose. This has long been a one-party town, but the violations of laws and civil rights by the Mayor and Chief have not gone cold in the minds of city residents.
“I agree with the right to bear arms, but I equally believe in the limitations that have been placed by our courts. One aspect that I find interesting is that the Second Amendment was adopted in the late 1700s. I wonder if today’s modern weaponry were available then, if that amendment would look the same. I suspect not.”
as in
I agree with the right to free speech, but I equally believe in the limitations that have been placed by our courts. One aspect that I find interesting is that the First Amendment was adopted in the late 1700s. I wonder if today’s modern TV and print media were available then, if that amendment would look the same. I suspect not.
I’m afraid the mayor and the chief are practicing just that, and “Resistance is Futile”.
Insistence Is Futile
BORG10050ATKA,
When you say, “I suspect not”, you’re simply saying, “I have no clue.” Because you don’t. No one does.
The Bill of Rights is part of our founding document, which means it is the law of the land. The Constitution is a legal document.
You don’t like the law? There’s a very easy way to change anything you don’t like: just use the Constitution’s amendment process. It’s been amended successfully dozens of times.
Of course, when I said it’s easy, I meant the process is easy: just get three quarters of the state legislatures to agree. Easy-peasy… in theory. But in practice? You had best have a good argument; an AMERICAN argument, not a Cuban argument, or a Soviet argument. But you don’t have any good arguments, or you would have used the Constitution’s simple, straightforward amendment process.
The real reason that the anti-American contingent never tries to change or rescind the 2nd Amendment is obvious: they know the American electorate would tell them in no uncertain terms to go pound sand.
So they get devious and underhanded, using end-runs around the law. End runs like judge shopping, buying the electeds, and using their pet Press to demonize law abiding citizens who have done nothing wrong.
Exactly NONE of the arguments used to undermine the 2nd Amendment can withstand even the mildest scrutiny. Every argument founders on the rocks of reality: the problem is not guns, of any type. The problem is the criminals who use guns to commit their crimes.
The same jamokes who want to confiscate the guns of honest citizens are the same Constitution-haters who mollycoddle criminals—ignoring the criminals’ victims in the process. But those victims might not be victims, if they’d had better protection than a phone with a 9-1-1 button.
There are many other argument that debunk the anti-gunner crowd’s nonsense. It is the RIGHT of American citizens to possess and bear arms. But people like you want to take away that right. Why? What are you so scared of? Honest, law-abiding, American citizens?
Read the Declaration of Independence, BORG. Betcha never did. There’s not one word about hunting in it.
This guy and kapernick should police oakland at night for a week straight. Bet anyone $500 both of them would have a diffrent opinion. Neither of the two been on the street. Yet we pay them alot for their salary. New gen to point fingers at these guys saying im not going to be like that guy learning from both their mistakes.
Keeping guns out of the hands of pot heads:
http://www.breitbart.com/big-government/2016/08/31/federal-court-gun-ban-marijuana-card-holders-constitutional/
Obviously, George Soros next idea for undermining civilization is to have the government require permission cards to buy Budweisers. And then ban gun ownership for people who have beer cards.
Obviously it’s time to ban registered Democrats from owning guns as well.
Practice what you preach oh God like ones.
Another traitor for a police chief
Hey Chief. Read the Chicago Tribune, black lives matter? The overwhelmingly deaths of blacks are caused by…..you guessed it……other blacks. As for guns read and then re read the third Amendment. You are way of base and need a wake up call.
Saying that police killing black men does not matter because most black men are killed by other black men is like saying that priests’ molesting children does not matter because most children are molested by family members. We pay police to protect us, not kill us.
Which police shootings are you talking about? Are you talking about Michael Brown, the “gentle giant?” He had his hands up, right? Oh, wait a minute…it was all a collection of lies.
Right. The Swisher Sweets thief got upset by being talked to, so he stuck the upper half of his body into the cop car, necessarily pressing himself against the cop in order to unsnap the burly man’s holster and retrieve his pistol.
I have a large steel structure between Brooklyn and Manhattan for sale if you’re interested.
Well, if we have to dump “hands up don’t shoot” in the same waste basket as we did Tawana Brawley’s allegations, the Freddie Gray case, and the Duke lacrosse team scandal, not to worry: Chiexpat has emerged as a new witness in the Michael Brown case, apparently ready, willing, and able to testify exactly what the Gentle Robber was doing (besides refusing to submit to police authority) when he was shot.
Step forward and do your civic duty, Chiexpat, lest others write you off as just another cop-hating dildo.
Chixpat,
I’m having just as hard a time believing the your gentle giant story as you bridge story,
To bad because you had some of the other stuff right.
Are you still waiting for Al Gore to win?
The story I just told was Officer Wilson’s story. Believe it or not, I don’t care.
Another Chief’s point of view.
https://youtu.be/dAu44wVgb58
CHICAGO (AP) — Thirteen people were shot to death over the Labor Day weekend in Chicago, making it the deadliest holiday weekend of one of the deadliest summers the city has experienced in decades.
The police department also said the 13 were among 43 people who were shot over the weekend. Among those was a pregnant woman who delivered a nearly full-term baby after she was shot in the abdomen. The woman, whom police say was not the intended target, was listed in critical condition Tuesday. The infant’s condition has not been released. The holiday weekend slayings come amid a dramatic spike in homicides. The department also said the weekend slayings pushed to 488 the total of slayings for the year — surpassing the 481 homicides that the police department said were recorded for all of last year. Nearly 230 homicides occurred in June, July and August — during which the city had 90 homicides, making it the deadliest single month in Chicago since June 1996
None were shot by cops, most if not all were blacks people shot by black black people. No comment from BLM. Chicago has the nation’s toughest gun laws, but the bad guys still get guns.
Chicago’s mayor Rahm Emanuel was once quoted as saying a crisis is a terrible thing to waste.
I’m sure Rahm won’t waste anymore time calling for more gun control in Chicago as they have it all,
and telling us the crisis is everyone else’s fault.
I heard the shooting total has been upped from 43 to 65. IN ONE WEEKEND! In da ‘hood. In a city with the toughest gun laws.
I’m sure they can break more records with little more effort, even Al Capone looks like an amiture these days.
What do you consider an assault rifle?
Simply stated: a compact, long-range capable weapon with high capacity that can be fired very rapidly; originally designed for the military.
Do you think the average non-felon should be able to own an assault rifle?
My belief—and I realize this may not be popular—is that these weapons should be for military and police use only. This is a perfect question to go hand-in-hand with my response to question No. 1.
Hey moron .. If they were intended for “military only”.. they they by definition do not belong in the hands of the police either. You don’t get it both ways.
I really wish people would get that police militarization and gun control go hand in hand. If the proverbial “THEY” of Law Enforcement and Big Gov. doesn’t allow us to protect ourselves then of course they will insist on arming themselves to the T and rolling through our streets like it’s Mosul. Because honestly, most major US cities HAVE TURNED INTO WARZONES.
BATF classifies an assault rifle as fully automatic weapon, in other words a machine gun. Unless you are licensed by the US government in some 27 or so states that allow licensing on such weapons you may not have one.
Exceptions would be any police or paramilitary government agency types like an IRS agent for example or Chef Eddie
if it’s OKed by the state and city council. So yes they do belong in the hands of police and you’re likely to find them on most any SWAT team including hand grenades and other destructive devices. Most recently used in Fremont.
So no moron, the guns you are talking about were not designed for military or police use they just look like it.
What you are talking about is the ubiquitous redefinition of “Assault Weapon” authored by our own Di Fi back in the 80’s. Her intent was to outlaw all firearms bigger than a 6 shot revolver, reason being she owed a little one for self defence as former mayor of San Fransicko. Prior to that the war was on revolvers and pistols which statistically speaking were involved in most street crime. Well people went out and bought up semi automatic rifles with folding stock and pistol grips weather they were ever used by the military or not fearing a handgun ban powered by groups like Handgun Control Inc, after the attempt on Reagan’s life.
No problem as these firearms were not and still are not used in most crimes in this country. Back then about .2%
were as 60% of crime involve a handgun, still the favorite of criminals!
Non-felons is that like Bill and Hillary meaning not convicted yet. Al Capone wasn’t convicted of a violent crime either.
So what you really mean is do you think the average law abiding CITIZENS should be able to own a semi automatic firearm. Well yes, if they they are not a threat, ongoing criminal , criminally insane, dunk, illegal drug user,
or a registered Democrat. Besides that many of us CITIZENS were trained by the military and police,
there for being “Well Regulated”
Chief Garcia: “if the issue is strictly that “Black Lives Matter” then we cannot have that conversation without also discussing the homicide rates in certain cities where black lives are lost at the hands of other black lives.”
“Certain cities” are virtually all cities with any sizable black population. Nationally, 78% of fatal shootings are black-on-black. By all accounts, this has not changed as far back as data has been gathered. We can’t police ourselves out of this – a point Chief Garcia doesn’t develop. Gun homicides have declined by 50% since 1990, but the homicide racial divide hasn’t.
I’m reading the 2015 book, Ghettoside. Highly recommend it to anyone interested in how gun control and social policies have failed us, but more importantly some evidence-based recommendations.
Garcia is a joke. Guess he fits right in at the Peoples Banana Republic of San Jose
Dear Josh and Jennifer,
I was hoping you would follow this story up with a report on the Ohio state shooting of a poor black muslim refugee by a white racist rookie cop,only a minute into an altercation with racist science students that attacked his car by throwing their bodies in front of him as he drove to class on the sidewalk.
Maybe an interview with Tim Kane former vise presidential hopeful calling for more gun control to curb violence in this gun free massacre zone before the smoke cleared.
I’m concerned you guys are missing a great opportunity to beat up the good guys again.
Any LEO or government official who is not an unabashed supporter of the constitution and the second amendment should be removed from office. Gun grabbers will never be satisfied until every citizen is completely disarmed. Each step along the path will be portrayed as reasonable and common sense however is simply a stepping stone to the next step. Ca is already overwhelmed with idiotic gun laws that simply make it harder and harder for law abiding and responsible people to exercise their rights with little or no effect on crime. Violent felons don’t care about the law and all the laws in the world won’t stop them. A simple case in point is Chicago. Blaming violent crime on guns is like blaming a bad novel on the pencil. If you want to reduce crime, lock up violent criminals and enforce the laws we already have. People like the chief and their goofy notions are part of the problem.
I’d urge reading Chief Garcia’s Oct 13th analysis and recommendations – see http://sanjose.granicus.com/MetaViewer.php?meta_id=597168 The “analysis” is rife with half-truths and unsubstantiated claims that are easily refuted with credible data.
* Claims “assault weapon ammo” sales (whatever that is) jeopardizes public safety.
* Tracking ammo sales solves crime (hasn’t in 4 states that require ID to purchase).
* Home firearms in locked containers reduces theft, but doesn’t explain how a locked range bag or cable lock makes a difference.
* Fails to mention that the vast majority of SJ shootings this year (about 75%) were gang-related. There are more SJ fatalities due to knives than non-gang gun homicides.
* Fails to mention that most – particularly the elderly or infirm can’t unlock a gun in time during a home invasion. State law requires locked stored firearms when children are in household. The ‘always keep guns locked’ prevents home defense.
* Claims stolen guns “commonly used in crime” but provides no data. VA and IL authorities estimate about 10% (adults) to 15% (juveniles). Most crime guns originate from ‘friends and family’ per DOJ.
The sad aspect is the loss of credibility and integrity. I’d like to believe that a police chief’s claims are credible and impartial. But this report makes me skeptical of anything Chief Garcia claims.