Arizona The Weight of the Gun: The Role Firearms Play in Arizonans' Lives

[Joe Link]

The Weight Of The Gun: The Role Firearms Play In Arizonans' Lives

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[AlexV]

Interesting article. I hope you post a link to Chapters 3 and 4 when they come out.

Tempe, AZ (just south of Phoenix) announced today that its motorcycle police will have AR-15s mounted on them (vertically, on the rear, according to one photo). The news commentator asked whether this mounting was too vulnerable (to theft) and if it was even safe. One young man said the police are supposed to "Serve & Protect," to de-escalate, not escalate a situation. A Tempe police officer said that for years now they have felt pretty foolish going up against criminals who are armed with such weapons with only handguns. Who is right?

I have to agree at least partially with both sides. In fact, the whole thing reminds me, on a global scale, of nations "joining the Nuclear Club," perfecting the technology necessary to deliver a nuclear weapon a long distance. Maybe what we need today is TALT: Tactical Arms Limitation Talks.

 

[MadDuner]

What we really need are fewer criminals.
Our country seems to be hellbent on importing MORE criminals as quickly as possible by any means possible.

They should probably go ahead and mount a shotgun on the motorcycles also.
You never know which tool you will need for which challenge that you are presented with.

 

[joefoam]

What we really need are fewer criminals.
Our country seems to be hellbent on importing MORE criminals as quickly as possible by any means possible.

They should probably go ahead and mount a shotgun on the motorcycles also.
You never know which tool you will need for which challenge that you are presented with.

Shotguns and/or rifles have been standard equipment in police cruisers for decades, it's the medias demonizing the AR-15 platform that makes people afraid.

 

[joefoam]

Interesting article. I hope you post a link to Chapters 3 and 4 when they come out.

Tempe, AZ (just south of Phoenix) announced today that its motorcycle police will have AR-15s mounted on them (vertically, on the rear, according to one photo). The news commentator asked whether this mounting was too vulnerable (to theft) and if it was even safe. One young man said the police are supposed to "Serve & Protect," to de-escalate, not escalate a situation. A Tempe police officer said that for years now they have felt pretty foolish going up against criminals who are armed with such weapons with only handguns. Who is right?

I have to agree at least partially with both sides. In fact, the whole thing reminds me, on a global scale, of nations "joining the Nuclear Club," perfecting the technology necessary to deliver a nuclear weapon a long distance. Maybe what we need today is TALT: Tactical Arms Limitation Talks.

Police have been arming themselves with more effective weapons since the North Hollywood bank robbery where multiple officers got their butts shot off. I noticed in the article in the AZ Republic that the AR-15 rifle mounted on the bike was not called an 'assault weapon' an interesting distinction made depending who was carrying it.