HB25-1250

HB25-1250 is touted as a way to keep children safe, but as usual, it's just more gun control. Under this bill, schools in Colorado would distribute state-approved “gun safety” materials printed with your tax dollars to students and parents. The flyer lists all the things that can be done to keep kids safe from gun violence:

· Promote out-of-home firearm storage with suggestions on where to store them. It also touts the benefits of storing a firearm outside the home, such as theft prevention, lowered risk of suicide, domestic violence homicide, and accidental injuries

· Push fear-based statistics and narratives to stigmatize guns and their owners

· Promote red flag laws to take guns away from owners

SB25-086

Another gun control bill is SB25-086, which would censor gun owners who post on social media and blacklist them. It's supposed to keep kids safe by having social media companies monitor speech and assist law enforcement in catching anyone posting “illicit” material. In this case, the material would be anything pro-gun or even firearms dealers selling legal products online, which is a clear violation of the First Amendment.

Social media companies would be obligated to:

• Monitor and report “subject uses, " including the “sale of a firearm in violation of state or federal law.” This includes unfinished frames and receivers, 3D-printed parts, and conversion devices.

• Platforms must remove user content and suspend accounts within 10 days of detecting or being notified of “subject use”, even if the content is entirely lawful but violates terms of service/published policies.

• Ban the user from creating any new account.

• Must also report violators to law enforcement and comply with search warrants within 72 hours.

If the user's content is flagged, it could result in a visit from a state-level BATFE. That’s right, the Colorado Assembly is debating whether to grant law enforcement powers to the Department of Revenue to go after gun owners, and passage looks promising.

SB25-086 was passed with bipartisan support from the House and Senate. Still, it was vetoed by Governor Jared Polis. A successful veto override occurred in the Senate, and now the House is prepared to vote.

Whether in Colorado or elsewhere, gun owners need to stand up and tell their representatives, Enough! These people are our employees! What part of “Shall not be infringed” do they not understand?

Heike Seiltgen is a Security Professional and retired Customs Officer with 20 years of service with the Deutsche Zoll. Her work has appeared in RECOIL, the Armory Life, and more.

Contact her at zoll30@live.com.

The Special Purpose Automatic Shotgun 12 is back! With its cool design, this iconic shotgun from the 80s made its way to the big screen in the Terminator, Jurassic Park, and a host of video games. The SPAS-12 was issued to 22 different military and police agencies worldwide. Over 37,000 were produced between 1979 and 2000, and sales were brisk until anti-gunners got everyone in an uproar about black rifles and assault weapons. As criticism grew, George H.W. Bush caved and initiated an import ban, which also stopped the import of the Steyr AUG and the HK 90 series rifles. In 1990, Franchi changed the nomenclature to Sporting Purpose Automatic Shotgun and fitted the gun with a fixed stock.

Turkish weapons manufacturer Bronco Arms has resurrected the Franchi SPAS-12 and made some improvements along the way. While the SPAS-12 is undoubtedly cool, it had its problems. The push-button cross bolt safety has been known to fail and release the hammer when depressing the trigger while on safe (sub-optimal), double feeds, jamming, and issues when transitioning between pump and semi-auto modes, as the pump action was designed for use with low-powered rounds like tear gas or less lethal alternatives.

The aluminum receiver has been modified to fix the feeding problems. The Franchi SPAS-12 has a magazine cut-off feature, which prevents the magazine from releasing a new round when the action is cycled. This allows the shooter to load a different type of round into the chamber without unloading the chambered round. The latest version has the cut-off button directly under the charging handle rather than ahead of it to fix the jamming issue. The pistol grip now has a more swept angle, and the forearm is equipped with material to give the shooter a better grip while working the action.

The TACSX 12 SPS F is available in a fixed stock version, boring, and, of course, the original folding stock with the hook that was a carrying handle when the stock was folded and an arm brace when the stock was deployed.

SPECIFICATIONS

Type: Pump/Semi-Automatic Shotgun

Caliber: 12 Gauge

Magazine capacity: 5 Rounds

Barrel Length: 22 Inches

Overall Length: 43 Inches

Weight: 8.4 Pounds Unloaded

MSRP: estimated at $400

URL: www.broncoarms.com

THE VERDICT

The TACSX 12 SPS F has addressed some of the issues with the original SPAS-12, and at a price of around $400, it’s definitely a buy.

Heike Seiltgen is a Security Professional and retired Customs Officer with 20 years of service with the Deutsche Zoll. Her photos have appeared in RECOIL, the Armory Life, and more.

Contact her at zoll30@live.com.

Sapp is a Florida native who grew up in Putnam County. He told everyone he was running at the state level to protect his children and stop the swamp from destroying the state. He spoke of the federal government's overreach into state rights and that our representatives need to remind D.C. of the 10th Amendment Sapp also spoke of his disgust with Donald Trump's legal harassment and the Feds' anti-Second Amendment position.

Florida 20 is one of the biggest districts in the state, with many rural areas. Sapp informed the crowd that transportation and property insurance would be the district's two most significant issues.

Sapp is the CEO of Sapp Railroad and has a vast knowledge of transportation infrastructure. In District 20, growth will be the 800-pound gorilla in the room. Bass Pro Shops has purchased 5,200 acres of land in Putnam County for a rumored outdoor-themed resort. There is a new highway interchange on the southern border of Clay County, and they have greenlit construction for 10,000 new homes, While Putnam has 700 new homes permitted. Florida is experiencing a massive rise in the net migration of Yankees trying to escape socialism, and transportation will be a significant issue overall.

Sapp advised that he has been meeting with other State Reps and feels he will be able to work with them on all issues, including property insurance, and he’s also ready to work with Gov DeSantis to keep Florida free.

The crowd was very receptive to Sapp, who spoke with everyone in the room before his speech and continued afterward with some latecomers.

Sapp ended his Meet & Greet by stating he was going to Tallahassee to fight for the people and to be the most accessible rep they ever had. He finished by letting everyone know that if they wanted to speak with him about any issues, they should give him a call. He then gave out his cell phone number, which impressed the crowd.

I was scheduled to work that morning, so I drove my personal vehicle to the Orlando Police East substation to pick up my marked vehicle. Since I had my police and auto radios off, I had no idea what was coming my way. I fired up my Crown Victoria and MCT and witnessed a screen full of colors I don’t recall seeing before. Immediately after going 10-8, I was dispatched to the shooting scene and assigned a perimeter position. While en route to the scene, I learned as much as possible about what happened.

As soon as I arrived, I was met by family and friends of the victims, some of whom were somber, with some bordering on hysterical, who wanted to know the status of their loved ones. I was unable to tell them as the aftermath was absolute chaos. OPD officers were transporting victims to the hospital in patrol cars, and citizens were helping with personal vehicles and pickups. The names of the dead and injured were unknown at the time. I could only refer them to another location near the hospital where the public information officer was located... As I scrolled through the CAD screen, I learned more and more about what happened. Since the SWAT assault on the shooter had occurred only a few hours ago, I knew that the bodies were still inside the building.

I had a stream of law enforcement agencies, both local and Federal, coming through my post, and now the shooting was a Federal affair. The narrative was now about gun control instead of the actual cause, Islamic Terrorism. By 1000 hours, the Obama DOJ trotted out the local Imam to tell us all that it was about gun control. I could not believe my eyes as I watched this travesty unfold on my MCT. The gun control narrative is still used today by the left. They claim the government allowed a bigot to obtain assault weapons and kill people, and gun control as well as background checks are needed. The shooter was a licensed armed security officer who passed background checks for the weapon and his security license. The shooter was simply a member of the religion of peace, doing what his book commands.

If the left wants to honor the victims of this shooting, the first step is to stop lying about it. The left continues to bloviate about “Gun Violence.” There is no such thing as gun violence. Guns, just like knives or hammers, which, by the way, kill more people than Assault Weapons, are inanimate objects; they do nothing on their own. People commit violence, not objects. Second, stop differentiating between Islam and Radical Islam. To quote Turkish Prime Minister Recep Erdogan, a Muslim, “Islam is Islam,” and last, close the border, because when it comes to Islamic Terrorism, You haven’t seen anything yet

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The Everyday Carry movement has grown exponentially over recent years.  For many, it is a lifestyle.  People are starting to carry self-defense items on their person, and their EDC is getting bigger and bigger to the point that cargo shorts with their many pockets are the usual attire for many.  The type of EDC a person carries depends on many factors, such as their situation, environment, and occupation.  I'm here to give folks some basic suggestions about what to have. 

Depending on your situation, your everyday carry may be only what you have in your pockets.  Some will expand their EDC with an extra satchel, backpack, or briefcase.   It all depends on your situation and what you think you will need. 

Before you go shopping for a bunch of cool gear, think about situational awareness.  Most people are not conscious of their surroundings, are you?  Be brutally honest and consider what you do when you're out of the house. Many people will walk right into danger because they do not pay attention.   Walking around looking down at the ground like you're searching for loose change is not the way to go through life.   You need to scan the area for possible problems to let criminals know you are aware of what's going on!

EVERYDAY CARRY ITEMS

Many people carry different stages of kits, having one on their person and another bag in the car with more items.

Firearm: Depending on whether you live in a free state or not, firearm carry may be illegal!   If you can carry, do so!  Ensure you are well trained and equipped, have some liability insurance, and know the statutes of concealed carry and use of force!

IFAK: The Individual First Aid Kit is a must-have.  It should include a Tourniquet.  Please place it in your vehicle where you can reach it!   I have seen some attached to the back of the driver's seat headrest.  During IFAK training, we conducted scenarios where we were made to get our IFAK out and place a tourniquet on a simulated wound, like being shot in the leg.  Some officers were unable to retrieve their IFAK from its storage spot.  Make sure you can get to it. Lives have been saved using a tourniquet, including a man in Texas who, before entering a mall that had a no-weapons policy, shot himself in the thigh while in his vehicle. A nearby LEO arrived, placed a tourniquet on the leg, and saved his life.

Knife: Everyone needs access to a sharp, quality knife.  Depending on where you live, you may need to carry a folding knife minus the flipper tab.   There is usually a law regarding maximum length, type, etc.  Many jurisdictions don't allow the carry of the "Butterfly" style knife.  Know the laws in your jurisdiction!  If you carry a knife presently, you know how useful they are!

Flashlight –Small flashlights with lots of power are great to have. It's dangerous to end up in the middle of nowhere without a light source. Flashlights can also be used as a self-defense weapon, temporarily blinding an attacker, or as an impact weapon! 

Pen & Paper—There are "Tactical Pens" out there that look like railroad spikes, but you can always carry a regular pen that is well-built and can be used for self-defense!

Wallet—These days, an RFID wallet/pouch is almost mandatory. Keep thieves out of your accounts and use RFID card sleeves at a minimum. A Faraday bag is also recommended, as your cell phone gives away your position.

Narcan: Given the amount of Fentanyl crossing the border, a dose of Narcan for everyone in your party is recommended.  Law Enforcement Officers are issued Narcan, so why not carry a few doses? Think about the Eustis LEO who almost died from Fentanyl exposure and was rescued by her fellow officers.

INTERNATIONAL EDC

I have traveled throughout Europe, and there are some strange laws.  Firearm possession is extremely strict, and concealed carry isn't happening legally, anyway.  Regarding knives, my nephew Marco gave me the lowdown on knife carrying.  Virtually any length fixed blade is legal to carry.  But my Cold Steel Tanto with a flipper tab is illegal! Many people carry pepper spray while traveling. This is also a good idea, as it may give you time to retreat from an attacker.

During air travel, some passengers (like me) place a large carabiner on their carry-on baggage to be used as impromptu brass knuckles in the event of serious violence on an aircraft.

Unfortunately, the TSA can make your time at the Screening checkpoint miserable.  The screening checkpoint manager has the authority to prevent you from taking items on board the aircraft as they have been given final authority regarding what's "legal" and what isn't.   I have seen passengers bring hard copies of the TSA regulations into the checkpoint, only to be told the item cannot be taken onboard as the screening manager has a catch-all provision allowing them to forbid any item they feel may be dangerous.

GET HOME BAG

As its name implies, a get-home bag is equipped with things to help you get home when bad things happen!

Water & Purification—Water is essential if you must abandon your vehicle and make the final leg of your journey on foot.

Firestarter – depending on your environment, the ability to start a fire may save your life!

Multi-Tool—These tools can be a lifesaver! They come in many sizes and are for many uses. Some are general, while some are specific to certain professions.

Maps—It's always good to have maps, know your area, and ensure you have a preplanned route home using back roads.

Money – Carry some federal reserve notes and some 90% Silver.

The problem with Get Home Bags is that you might need to make the final leg of your journey on foot!  If your bag is too heavy, you have issues!  That is one of the many reasons people must be responsible for their health!  Your hike will be short-lived if you're not in decent physical shape.

Now that you have some basic ideas, start shopping! I know money is short, but time is running short, too! The best time to assemble your kit was years ago; the second best is now

!

During the 1990s, Glock put some record labels on notice to stop using the Glock Name in its Gangsta rap songs, and many complied. In 1997, Glock sued Smith & Wesson for patent infringement for its “Sigma” pistol, aka the “Glock & Wesson.” The suit was settled out of court when S&W agreed to alter the Sigma and pay Glock undisclosed damages. In 1999, Glock’s longtime business associate Charles Ewert hired former French mercenary Jacques Pecheur to murder Glock to cover up his embezzlement of millions from the Glock Corporation! Ewert took him to a Luxembourg parking garage to look at a sports car when a man came out of the shadows and attacked Glock. Glock, who was always physically fit, swimming miles daily, managed to fend off the hitman even after being struck in the head with a hammer seven times! The hitman received 17 years and Ewert 20. Glock would later say that the attack was the best thing that ever happened to me. “Otherwise, I would have gone on trusting Ewert.” 

In 2008, Glock suffered a stroke and ended up romantically involved with his nurse, who was 50 years his junior. By 2010, Glock allegedly locked his wife out of the house and fired all his three children from the company.  He divorced his wife in 2011, married his nurse Kathrin, and has been in litigation ever since.  

Mrs. Glock filed a lawsuit in 2014 claiming that Gaston had placed corporate assets into Shell companies and stolen the business she and her children helped create. Herr Glock owns 99% of the company, which was put into a trust estimated to be worth about $2 billion. The suit was dismissed by an Atlanta judge in 2017.

In 2014, Herr Glock purchased a $15 million horse for his new wife, Kathrin, hoping the Horse would strike gold in the 2016 Olympics. It is rumored to be the highest price ever paid for a show horse. Kathrin is the CEO of the Glock Horse Performance Center in Austria. Oh yes, Glock also makes horses!

Glock currently has over 50 pistol models in its product line, with sales of $500 million per year worldwide and a 65% market share of handgun sales in the U.S. Herr Glock passed away on December 27, 2023, at 94, leaving behind an estimated $1.1 billion net worth, according to a 2021 Forbes ranking. 

On Saturday, the Biden Justice Department launched the National Extreme Risk Protection Order (ERPO) Resource Center and initiated another phase of its master plan for gun control.

“The launch of the National Extreme Risk Protection Order Resource Center will provide our partners across the country with valuable resources to keep firearms out of the hands of individuals who pose a threat to themselves or others,” said Attorney General Merrick B. Garland. “The establishment of the Center is the latest example of the Justice Department’s work to use every tool provided by the landmark Bipartisan Safer Communities Act to protect communities from gun violence.”

DOJ states the NERPO Center will support states, local governments, law enforcement, prosecutors, attorneys, judges, clinicians, victim service providers, and behavioral health and other social service providers in their efforts to implement ERPO programs that fit local needs and share resources and promising practices with the field.

In the words of Ronald Reagan,

"The nine most terrifying words in the English language are: I'm from the Government, and I'm here to help. "

This new gun control measure comes not long after it was discovered that the government has been compiling lists of persons with incorrect political positions via their Domestic Security Alliance Council (DSAC) portal. The DSAC portal is only accessible by corporate members, including Bass Pro Shops, Cabela's, Walt Disney Company, Dick's Sporting Goods, and government entities. The government tracks your speech and purchases, especially if the purchases are firearms or prepping supplies.

Although not authorized by Congress, it is funded by the 2022 Bipartisan "Safer Communities" Act. The new NERPO Center assists states and localities with tools and funding to enact more Red Flag Laws. Since these proceedings are ex parte (without the person), people who have not committed a crime are deprived of their property and due process as they cannot question the witness.

Do you have a family member who disagrees with your political views? Do you think they might file a false complaint against you because of them? It's quite a slippery slope.

Former Florida Governor Rick Scott passed a risk protection order statute after the Parkland shooting, The Marjorie Stoneman Douglas Safety Act, ignoring the fact that measures already existed to stop psychopaths from legally acquiring firearms. But it's all about appearances with politicians, especially an empty suit like Scott. In Florida, if the family felt a person was a risk, they could petition a judge for an ex parte order, and the person would be involuntarily taken to a physician for examination. There are countless cases where law enforcement, myself included, instructed the family of such a person on obtaining such an order. The instructions were ignored as it required work, and some of these persons later were injured or shot dealing with law enforcement. In the aftermath, the family would run to the media and tell them that law enforcement knew this person was dangerous and did nothing.

Florida law gives law enforcement the authority to petition the court for a risk protection order and seize a person's firearms for up to a year. It also banned bump stocks and raised the age to purchase a firearm to 21. While some feel this is the right approach, I don’t. The more power you give the government, the more freedoms you lose.

Protection order statutes vary by state. A few states have a limit of 14 to 21 days, and the order automatically expires if a judge has not ruled. Some states allow anyone to petition for a protection order. That means your neighbor, let’s call her Karen, could file for a protection order because of a previous dispute about walking your dog. Third parties can tie you up in court, and guess what? You have to pay the legal fees. If you successfully defend yourself against a protection order, you can now start the process of getting your weapons back. Some states have no provision for the return of weapons seized, and some law enforcement agencies will ignore a ruling and keep your guns. Now, you need an attorney to attempt recovery of your property. In many cases, it's not worth it, so those weapons go into the furnace.

Red Flag Laws, while in principle, are designed to help, but at the end of the day, they are just another form of gun control. I prefer true mental health reform as well as asylums for the criminally insane. Still, we don’t have the funding for that, as we are paying for the money laundering operation in Ukraine and the invasion of illegal aliens.

Did I mention that they are coming for your guns?

THE STASI

The Ministerium fur Staatsicherheit, or "Stasi" for short, was the state security service of East Germany, the so-called German Democratic Republic. Its surveillance tactics were cutting-edge then, and the Stasi became one of the most effective spy organizations the world has ever known.  

With approximately 274,000 members, including approximately 189,000 "Inoffizielle Mitarbeiter" (I.M.s), aka snitches, along with their KGB counterparts - a certain Vladimir Putin comes to mind - the Stasi's reign of terror over the citizens of East Germany lasted over 40 years from its founding on February 8, 1950, to shortly after the fall of the Berlin wall.   

The I.M.s were everywhere, and the Stasi's effectiveness was greatly enhanced by having these snitches embedded in every level of East German society. 

Every apartment building had an I.M. who reported to the local Stasi officer about the goings-on in the building, who came and went, etc. While effective, the mail carrier was one of the most effective snitches employed by the Stasi. The mail carrier knew everyone in their delivery area and was perfect for the job. I know this as my wife's Grandmother, a mail carrier in Stendal, Germany, was told by the STASI in no uncertain terms that if she didn't work for them, they would take her daughter away. Her Grandmother and Mother would flee the east 3 days later, ending up in Hamburg.  

Fast forward to 2024. We have been witnessing the rise of the American Neo-Stasi in real-time. Politicians want to embed informants into every part of society. The Biden administration ignores actual terrorism from BLM, Antifa, and Trantifa. Instead, it wishes to clamp down on conservatives by training your co-workers, neighbors, and friends to be snitches and concentrate on anyone with an independent, liberty-minded opinion.

NEW YORK STATE

New York Governor Kathy Hochul continues her hunt for dissidents on social media. Her “Hateful Conduct Law” was recently struck down, so while she regroups, her administration, along with New York Mayor Eric Adams and NYFD Commissioner Laura Kavanagh will Carry On and Keep Spying.

NYFD

At a recent ceremony for the first black female chaplain in NYFD history, rank-and-file firefighters booed the master of ceremonies, New York Attorney General Letitia James, and shouted out chants of Trump. This caused NYFD commissioner Laura Kavanagh, who has never been a firefighter, to spring into action. 

Kavanagh had one of her water boys FDNY Chief of Department John Hodges, send out an email warning that an investigation led by the department's Bureau of Investigation and Trials (BITS) was being initiated coming over the boos and chants of "Trump" that James received at the event. 

"BITS is investigating this, so they will figure out who the members are. I recommend they come forward. I have been told by the commissioner it will be better for them if they come forward and we don't have to hunt them down," Hodges wrote FDNY chiefs Saturday in the letter obtained by The New York Post.

Excuse Me… "hunt them down?"

NYPD

It appears that New York Mayor Eric Adams, who has between 10 and 25 arrests in his 22-year NYPD career, depending on who is to be believed, has never been a police officer and also wants in on some STASI action. 

Retired NYPD Lt. John Macari Jr. went to Twitter after being advised that NYPD cops are being warned not to partake in his New York's Finest: Retired & Unfiltered podcast at work or while using department computers. Rumors are that NYPD management (politicians) are identifying active NYPD members who like, share, or engage with "Two Retired Lieutenants" on social media. In his opinion, this is being done to compile a list of members who are not "fond" of the administration for future harassment.

NYPD policy allows members to listen to the radio on duty and have the television on in the office's background. They can watch or listen to drive-by media, but apparently, they are not allowed to listen to #TheFinestUnfiltered on department computers at work.

DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY 

In a recent hearing, Congressman Jim Jordan revealed that the DHS, together in a partnership with the corporate world, has been compiling lists of persons with incorrect political positions via their Domestic Security Alliance Council (DSAC) portal. The DSAC portal is only accessible by corporate members, including Bass Pro Shops, Cabela's, Walt Disney Company, Dick's Sporting Goods, and government entities.

"The federal government is building profiles on the American people, and the profile isn't based on criminal conduct; it's based on political beliefs," said Jordan at the start of a hearing by the Select Subcommittee on the Weaponization of the Federal Government "And if you got the wrong political beliefs, well, you're potentially a domestic violent extremist."

Jordan stated that an FBI whistleblower came forward and told the committee that the DSAC portal was used to track down J6 participants by searching for purchases made in the days before and after the protest, using keywords like MAGA and TRUMP. 

"All this being done with no process, no warrant, no notification to the customer that the banks are actually supposed to serve… Big government shouldn't be working with big banks to target Americans for behavior that is legal and constitutional" - Jim Jordan.

So remember folks, 1984 is here, and your government's internal security service is watching you. They'll keep watching until "you get your mind right."  

In 2020, with great fanfare, the Austin city council voted unanimously to cut approximately 150 million dollars, or 34 percent, of its budget in the wake of the Black Lives Matter riots. Now, the citizens of Austin, many of whom voted for these city council members, are up in arms about the shortage of officers and emergency response times.

In February, part of the city was left without a single officer in service, and according to the Austin Police Association President Michael Bullock, the city is on the “brink of disaster.”

The Texas State Legislature convened the following year and passed legislation that forced the city to reinstate the funding, but the damage was already done. Austin is in the middle of a full-blown staffing crisis, which will take years to undo, if at all. Experienced officers generally don’t want to work in a blue city, and police recruits can take up to a year from application to going into service.

In an interview with FOX News, Bullock stated,

“Previous councils and leadership have actively worked against our officers and department, which has now put us in a free-falling staffing crisis,” Bullock warned. “Twice now we’ve had our contract voted down or it has been allowed to expire. Each year since 2017, we’ve lost more officers than we’ve hired. We had to gut our specialized units and force detectives to work backfill on patrol just to try and respond to 911 calls.” As a result, Bullock continued, “our staffing has been set back at least 15 years and at the same time we’ve dealt with a population growth of over 250,000 new residents. Combine that with a district attorney who has made it very clear that targeting officers and releasing criminals is his priority – not public safety.”

Fraternal Order of Police Vice President Joe Gamaldi said council members who voted to defund the police don’t “give a damn about the people in Austin.”

“What the Austin city council did was horrific to the community,” he told Fox News Digital.” There is no one left to fill these shortages because the city council treats officers like scum. Now, responses are over 10 minutes for emergency calls. Some districts are left without staff. The city council should learn their lesson over violent crime. 2021 was the highest ever for recorded murders and, since then, the murder rate continues to stay close to that high and looks like 2024 will not be any better. People are dying over bad decisions.”

City Council member Greg Casar went to Twitter when the vote passed. Casar is now a U.S. Congressman and, according to Bullock, has requested extra police presence at his Austin area home.

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">We did it!! Austin City Council just reduced APD&#39;s budget by over $100 million *and* reinvested resources into our community&#39;s safety and well-being. Tens of thousands of you have called, emailed, and testified. You made the impossible into a reality. <a href="

https://twitter.com/hashtag/blacklivesmatter?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#blacklivesmatter</a> <a href="https://t.co/trrYSDEOK6">pic.twitter.com/trrYSDEOK6</a></p>&mdash; Greg Casar (@GregCasar) <a href="https://twitter.com/GregCasar/status/1293947071230287872?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August

13, 2020</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Longtime Austin resident Lauren Klinefelter told Fox News Digital she was unable to get help following a 2022 car accident involving her young children.

“We needed an ambulance and some emergency assistance because not only was my car totaled, but my children were both bleeding and visibly injured,” she said, adding her kids were only eight and two years old at the time. “I called 911 and, to my surprise, it rang endlessly, only to be routed to a 311 operator for non-emergencies.”

Klinefelter ultimately had to take a Lyft to the hospital after being unable to obtain help. 

“My children were bleeding, and over an hour had passed, so with no other option, we got a Lyft to the hospital and back home. The police never showed up, I was never contacted by anyone to follow up on the incident.”

Now that the defecation has hit the oscillation, City officials are in CYA mode, a city spokesperson told Fox News Digital,

“The need for additional resources for APD remains a top priority, and the Interim City Manager will be assessing what options are available to the city,” the spokesperson said, adding: “The Austin City Council has provided additional support to APD by authorizing significant investments for staffing and specifically retention bonuses as well as approving additional resources related to cadet classes.” 

With a wide-open border, the officer shortage could not come at a worse time and will create chaos until it's repaired, which might never occur. Elections have consequences, folks.

Throughout my law enforcement career, I’ve been asked by many folks if I agree with the positions of law enforcement managers/leaders on several issues. When I say I disagree, which is the majority of the time, people are surprised. When they ask why, I tell them it’s because, with very few exceptions, law enforcement managers ignore the views of line officers in the same fashion your representatives in D.C. ignore voters. They're politicians now. They are no longer LEOs. They are looking for money, power, and access to the luxuries that the rich enjoy without doing all the hard work.

When asked about the recent Senate immigration reform bill, the National Border Patrol Council President Brandon Judd told ABC News, "This is absolutely better than what we currently have," "They're (agents) able to do the job that they were supposed to do as far as protecting the American people, and I think that they would feel much better about the job with this bill."

Acting CBP Commissioner Troy Miller had the same view: "This proposed legislation would provide the strongest set of tools we have had in decades to effectively manage migration and enhance our nation’s border security,” in a leaked internal memo to employees acquired by Fox News.

If you question an actual working Border Patrol Agent instead of management, the majority will tell you they are overwhelmed, and the U.S. should reinstate Title 42 and close the border.

Time and time again, law enforcement leadership gets it wrong. In the aftermath of the Parkland shooting, gun control hysteria raged on.  The blame was put on President Trump, conservative talk show host Dana Loesch, The NRA, Republicans, and the rifle itself, everything except the shooter. Shooter Nikolas Jacob Cruz was solely responsible for the deaths of those 17 students. The failure of local, county, state, and federal agencies to do their job helped create the perfect storm.

Broward County Sheriff Scott Israel told you it’s about gun control as he tried to cover his ass over his department's failures to deal with Cruz, who, according to records, BCSO had been dealt with at least 39 times prior to the shooting. The Obama administration told us it’s about gun control.  That’s why, just a few hours after the Pulse Nightclub shooter was killed and the U.S. Attorney General and alphabet agencies converged on Orlando, they had a local Imam go on TV and tell everyone the shooting was about gun control and had nothing to do with Islam. At the same time, I was there on the scene at Pulse, on the perimeter, dealing with victim's families.

The Florida legislature told us it’s about gun control when they passed a feel-good bill that the NRA immediately challenged due to its unconstitutional provision barring citizens 18 to 21 years old from the right to purchase any firearms.

The government likes to restrict the rights of individuals because it wants to control every aspect of citizens' lives, and law enforcement leaders follow along. Citizens are told law enforcement will provide security for the citizens, as it is their job. Unfortunately, they suck at it. They say that taxes are the price you pay to live in a safe society. If that’s the case, I want a refund.

As a retired LEO and Firearms Trainer, I can tell you the majority of the rank-and-file LEOs are Pro-Gun. Why is that, you ask?  First, they swore an oath to preserve, protect, and defend the Constitution, including the 2^nd amendment. Second, any LEO who is honest about it will tell you that there aren’t enough officers to cover the areas assigned. When seconds count, the police are minutes away. Police are outnumbered, and citizens may be forced to defend themselves until Law Enforcement arrives. Law enforcement occasionally saves the day, but they usually show up after it's over to set up a crime scene log and take the report.

While on duty, I frequently asked people why they carry concealed.  Some citizens said they were exercising their 2^nd Amendment rights.  The majority cited personal protection as their main reason for concealed carry.  My favorite answer was one man who told me, “I carry a gun because a cop is too heavy.”

The International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP) has a Firearms Policy Position Paper, and it’s a gun-grabber's dream. The group's position calls for a firearm purchase waiting period, eliminating the so-called gun show loophole and an Assault Weapons Ban. Included in this paper is the false claim that the 1994 Clinton assault weapons ban worked. The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) states the prohibition had no measurable impact, and when the ban expired, the violent crime rate, as well as the homicide rate, continued its downward trend.

When Florida Governor Scott and the legislature passed the Red Flag law, it was only passed to give the public the appearance they were doing something. I was against it – as there were more effective options, but law enforcement leaders followed the push for Red Flag legislation. After passing, there was some buyer's remorse. The law gave law enforcement more arrest powers, and that’s a power you’ll never get back. You also gave patrol officers, who are already at minimum manning and going from one call to another, more work. Now, they are confiscating firearms, doing extra paperwork, and spending less time on the road.

These are just a couple of examples. In the future, perhaps law enforcement leaders should speak to some veteran line officers and get their opinions before deciding on such issues.

Believe it or not, many officers are pretty intelligent.

References

https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/border-patrol-union-backs-senate-immigration-bill-despite/story?id=106969976

https://thehill.com/homenews/senate/4449839-acting-cbp-chief-border-patrol-union-back-senate-border-deal/

https://deadline.com/2018/02/nra-cnn-town-hall-dana-loesch-threat-burn-her-school-shooting-1202299428/

https://www.cnn.com/2018/02/25/politics/sheriff-israel-sotu-full-transcript/index.html

https://www.cbsnews.com/miami/news/cnn-nikolas-cruz-law-enforcement-39-visits/

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-guns-florida-nra/nra-files-federal-lawsuit-challenging-florida-gun-safety-bill-idUSKCN1GL30C/

https://www.nytimes.com/2018/03/09/us/florida-governor-gun-limits.html

https://www.theiacp.org/sites/default/files/2018-08/IACP Firearms Position Paper_2018.pdf

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