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NC approves purchase of high-powered rifles
Josey1
Member Posts: 9,598 ✭✭
Roxboro City Council approves purchase of high-powered rifles
By Hunter Lewis : The Herald-Sun
hlewis@heraldsun.com
Sep 13, 2002 : 9:10 pm ET
ROXBORO -- Pistols and shotguns don't give police here enough of a fighting chance against machine gun-toting criminals.
So the Police Department, with City Council approval on Thursday night, will use a federal grant to buy 33 high-powered rifles.
Including training ammunition, 30-round clips and shoulder slings, the all-weather Ruger rifles will cost $16,832.
The city will chip in $1,683 for the required 10 percent in local matching funds. The rest of the money -- $15,149 -- comes from a Local Law Enforcement Block Grant.
Chief Terry Hill told the council that his officers routinely are outgunned by suspects, especially during drug raids, where machine guns often are found.
The department now has an arsenal of .38-caliber Beretta handguns and shotguns.
"There are many weapons on the street that have more power than what is carried by the members of the police department," Hill said.
City Councilman James Allen was the only board member to vote against the added firepower. Allen said police and Roxboro residents would be better off updating the department's technology -- buying radios, undercover body microphones, software and digital cameras at the same cost as the rifles.
The digital cameras could be used to take photos at the scene of accidents and crimes. The new software would allow officers to send incident reports from their patrol cars.
"My concern is that the (electronics) would serve more benefit than with the rifles," he said.
But Hill and city finance officer Jimmy Overton said the rifles were a matter of safety.
The handguns are only accurate at short ranges, Hill said, and the spread pattern of shotgun pellets is too great, especially at longer distances.
In a memo to City Manager Jim Freeman, Hill wrote that the rifles would be effective in special situations, such as a response to a Columbine-like shooting spree.
Recently, police trained with the Person County Sheriff's Department on "rapid deployment" operations, and officers are now required to enter a building if they hear shooting and take action to stop any shooters.
"In this scenario, our officers need a sidearm for short-distance shooting and a rifle for long-distance shooting," Hill said. "(The rifle) is a time saver because officers now will not have to wait for a specially trained shooter to take action."
Hill said he hopes his officers never have to use the rifles.
"However, it is better to be prepared than not when it comes to saving the lives of our officers and citizens," he said.
In other business Thursday, the council:
-- Set a public hearing for a new water conservation ordinance.
The city has 295 days of water at its disposal -- up from 275 due to recent rains -- and city officials said the water supply is "in good shape."
Still, if Roxboro's supply dwindles, officials want to have the new, four-stage ordinance as a precaution.
Beginning at the Voluntary Conservation stage, the plan moves to Moderate and then Severe Mandatory Conservation. The final step, Stage IV, calls for using water strictly for personal hygiene.
Water users who break the new ordinance would expect to pay fines up to $1,000.
-- Said people interested in the council spot that will be vacated by a retiring Eugene Keen in October should mail a letter of intent to City Hall by the end of September.
Council members will choose from the pool of applicants to finish the remaining year of Keen's term.
The letters should go to: City of Roxboro, P.O. Box 126, Roxboro, NC 27573.
http://www.heraldsun.com/person/12-267254.html
"If cowardly and dishonorable men sometimes shoot unarmed men with army pistols or guns, the evil must be prevented by the penitentiary and gallows, and not by a general deprivation of a constitutional privilege." - Arkansas Supreme Court, 1878
By Hunter Lewis : The Herald-Sun
hlewis@heraldsun.com
Sep 13, 2002 : 9:10 pm ET
ROXBORO -- Pistols and shotguns don't give police here enough of a fighting chance against machine gun-toting criminals.
So the Police Department, with City Council approval on Thursday night, will use a federal grant to buy 33 high-powered rifles.
Including training ammunition, 30-round clips and shoulder slings, the all-weather Ruger rifles will cost $16,832.
The city will chip in $1,683 for the required 10 percent in local matching funds. The rest of the money -- $15,149 -- comes from a Local Law Enforcement Block Grant.
Chief Terry Hill told the council that his officers routinely are outgunned by suspects, especially during drug raids, where machine guns often are found.
The department now has an arsenal of .38-caliber Beretta handguns and shotguns.
"There are many weapons on the street that have more power than what is carried by the members of the police department," Hill said.
City Councilman James Allen was the only board member to vote against the added firepower. Allen said police and Roxboro residents would be better off updating the department's technology -- buying radios, undercover body microphones, software and digital cameras at the same cost as the rifles.
The digital cameras could be used to take photos at the scene of accidents and crimes. The new software would allow officers to send incident reports from their patrol cars.
"My concern is that the (electronics) would serve more benefit than with the rifles," he said.
But Hill and city finance officer Jimmy Overton said the rifles were a matter of safety.
The handguns are only accurate at short ranges, Hill said, and the spread pattern of shotgun pellets is too great, especially at longer distances.
In a memo to City Manager Jim Freeman, Hill wrote that the rifles would be effective in special situations, such as a response to a Columbine-like shooting spree.
Recently, police trained with the Person County Sheriff's Department on "rapid deployment" operations, and officers are now required to enter a building if they hear shooting and take action to stop any shooters.
"In this scenario, our officers need a sidearm for short-distance shooting and a rifle for long-distance shooting," Hill said. "(The rifle) is a time saver because officers now will not have to wait for a specially trained shooter to take action."
Hill said he hopes his officers never have to use the rifles.
"However, it is better to be prepared than not when it comes to saving the lives of our officers and citizens," he said.
In other business Thursday, the council:
-- Set a public hearing for a new water conservation ordinance.
The city has 295 days of water at its disposal -- up from 275 due to recent rains -- and city officials said the water supply is "in good shape."
Still, if Roxboro's supply dwindles, officials want to have the new, four-stage ordinance as a precaution.
Beginning at the Voluntary Conservation stage, the plan moves to Moderate and then Severe Mandatory Conservation. The final step, Stage IV, calls for using water strictly for personal hygiene.
Water users who break the new ordinance would expect to pay fines up to $1,000.
-- Said people interested in the council spot that will be vacated by a retiring Eugene Keen in October should mail a letter of intent to City Hall by the end of September.
Council members will choose from the pool of applicants to finish the remaining year of Keen's term.
The letters should go to: City of Roxboro, P.O. Box 126, Roxboro, NC 27573.
http://www.heraldsun.com/person/12-267254.html
"If cowardly and dishonorable men sometimes shoot unarmed men with army pistols or guns, the evil must be prevented by the penitentiary and gallows, and not by a general deprivation of a constitutional privilege." - Arkansas Supreme Court, 1878
Comments
A balanced diet is a cookie in each hand
Edited by - He Dog on 09/20/2002 18:58:54