More firepower for police
by Lori Barrett | May 8, 2008 at 12:44 pm
Posted in baltimore crime
Washington DC cops will soon be armed with assault rifles.
The police department has 500 semiautomatic AR-15 rifles ready to be put into service once they figure out how to rack them in the patrol vehicles. About 340 officers have been trained on the new weapons. Miami police are already carrying assault rifles; Chicago is soon to follow.
Currently in Baltimore, only the SWAT team members are equipped with assault rifles because most often, officers here are faced with handguns during crimes.
Should a program like DC’s be implemented in Baltimore?
Personally, I don’t know. On the one hand, there are a rising number of assault rifles on the street and it makes sense to have police armed with the same weapons as the criminals they are fighting. On the other, I question what it will really accomplish and whether it will just lead to bigger shootouts in response to the officers’ increased firepower.
Would you be in support of Baltimore police carrying assault rifles?
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May 8th, 2008 at 6:23 pm | Please log in to reply. | Log in to rate this comment | report this comment
We definitely need more of these in the hood.
May 8th, 2008 at 7:56 pm | Please log in to reply. | Log in to rate this comment | report this comment
I want one! Boo! Next time I find a bum on my stoop you can bet he'll be sorry for being poor.
May 12th, 2008 at 11:44 am | Please log in to reply. | Log in to rate this comment | report this comment
both those guys are, forget it.
No i don't agree i do agree that it will lead to bigger gun battles more inccent people getting killed. AR spary only soldiers should use these things even tho, we have some bad guys that have them if the police have them thats just going make the bad guys get something bigger, look i got a five year old baby brother i love him to death and emotions are whats killing our culture. Its sad and scary and it really ticks me off that none of our gov. programs are funded right, no-one supports the police because they use to much force here in maryland and the education around the city stinks. But look as far as the assault rifles go only if you want to forget about the kids would i even let them carry these things or even keep them in the trunk, please don't forget how the police act here in maryland they are another group of people who let their emotions get the best of them they have prove'in that here in maryland