The decision by the gun club in Sacramento to not allow state law enforcement officials to use their range had me applauding. Apparently the Million Mom Marchers don't see it that way. Here's their take:
Gun Enthusiasts Get Ugly in California Legislative Push, Lock State
Agents Out of Training Facility
6/8/2005 2:00:00 PM
Contact: Amanda Wilcox of the Million Mom March, 530-432-2171, Peter
Hamm of the Brady Campaign, 202-898-0792
SACRAMENTO, Calif., June 8 /U.S. Newswire/ -- A shooting range here
has announced a ban on use of its shooting facilities by employees of
the California Department of Justice because the Department is
supporting two bills in the State legislature that the club opposes.
The bills represent groundbreaking new ballistic identification
systems which would give police new crime solving tools. Each would
set up systems for markings on gun ammunition in California that
would help law enforcement investigators track down the perpetrators
of shootings that might otherwise remain unsolved. One bill (AB 352)
would require handguns to include a device that stamps a specific
number on bullets that are fired by that handgun, while the other (SB
357) would require that ammunition manufacturers mark ammunition with
a serial number for potential tracking.
The bills have the support of the California DOJ. No California law
enforcement organizations oppose the measures. In a letter to
California Attorney General Bill Lockyer, Thomas S. Hause, President
of the Folsom Shooting Club, which operates the Sacramento Valley
Shooting Center outside Sacramento, wrote "The Board of Directors of
the Folsom Shooting Club (FSC) has directed me to advise you, in
writing, that Department of Justice staff, while acting in their
official capacity, are suspended from using the Sacramento Valley
Shooting Center (SVSC). The FSC is concerned that your staff will
further your efforts regarding AB 352 and SB 357 while using our facility."
Leaders of the Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence and the Million
Mom March are urging the club to drop the policy immediately. "It is
offensive that the owners of this shooting range would rather side
with criminals than with law enforcement and victims, not to mention
that they are discriminating against people simply because they have
a different view on legislation," said Amanda Wilcox, State Council
Leader of the Million Mom March. "It is also very troubling when it
is law enforcement agents who are using the facility for training purposes."
"What's next - should police who support sensible gun laws have their
firearms taken away? This is un-American, and these guys ought to
have their heads examined," said Jim Brady, chair of the Brady Campaign.
The move has generated a great deal of activity on internet chat
sites. On one site, a person who self-identifies as a member of the
Folsom club wrote "Our range relies on law enforcement agencies,
mainly the California Dept of Corrections, for a large part of our
revenue. So this is no small thing to do."
Another chat posting read "Every gun store, gun manufacturer,
equipment supplier, and range should boycott all law enforcement
sales and support." Another read "If more companies would make this
stand and simply say 'if you're going to make it hard for the public
to own firearms then we aren't going to assist you in arming yourself
against them' maybe the balance would shift." Yet another read "We
should ask our respective gun clubs to ban all law enforcement (not
just the CA DOJ) from using their ranges as a training ground or for
their pistol qualifications. We'll see how far that goes." (See the
letter and the comments at
http://calguns.net/eve/ubb.x/a/tpc/f/545600176/m/29010985521)
The state Assembly has passed AB 352, which would give police the
ability to match bullet shells at the scene of a crime to the gun
that fired the bullet. A day later, the State Senate passed SB 357,
the bill that will require that all handgun bullets have a serial
number that identifies the purchaser. These "cutting edge" proposals
are important, powerful tools for police and other states may follow
suit. AB 352 now moves to the State Senate and SB 357 now moves to
the Assembly.
In 2003, there were nearly 1,600 handgun homicides in California. In
a typical year in California, no arrest is made in almost half of the
state's homicides because police lack enough evidence to find the murderer.
Gun Enthusiasts Get Ugly in California Legislative Push, Lock State
Agents Out of Training Facility
6/8/2005 2:00:00 PM
Contact: Amanda Wilcox of the Million Mom March, 530-432-2171, Peter
Hamm of the Brady Campaign, 202-898-0792
SACRAMENTO, Calif., June 8 /U.S. Newswire/ -- A shooting range here
has announced a ban on use of its shooting facilities by employees of
the California Department of Justice because the Department is
supporting two bills in the State legislature that the club opposes.
The bills represent groundbreaking new ballistic identification
systems which would give police new crime solving tools. Each would
set up systems for markings on gun ammunition in California that
would help law enforcement investigators track down the perpetrators
of shootings that might otherwise remain unsolved. One bill (AB 352)
would require handguns to include a device that stamps a specific
number on bullets that are fired by that handgun, while the other (SB
357) would require that ammunition manufacturers mark ammunition with
a serial number for potential tracking.
The bills have the support of the California DOJ. No California law
enforcement organizations oppose the measures. In a letter to
California Attorney General Bill Lockyer, Thomas S. Hause, President
of the Folsom Shooting Club, which operates the Sacramento Valley
Shooting Center outside Sacramento, wrote "The Board of Directors of
the Folsom Shooting Club (FSC) has directed me to advise you, in
writing, that Department of Justice staff, while acting in their
official capacity, are suspended from using the Sacramento Valley
Shooting Center (SVSC). The FSC is concerned that your staff will
further your efforts regarding AB 352 and SB 357 while using our facility."
Leaders of the Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence and the Million
Mom March are urging the club to drop the policy immediately. "It is
offensive that the owners of this shooting range would rather side
with criminals than with law enforcement and victims, not to mention
that they are discriminating against people simply because they have
a different view on legislation," said Amanda Wilcox, State Council
Leader of the Million Mom March. "It is also very troubling when it
is law enforcement agents who are using the facility for training purposes."
"What's next - should police who support sensible gun laws have their
firearms taken away? This is un-American, and these guys ought to
have their heads examined," said Jim Brady, chair of the Brady Campaign.
The move has generated a great deal of activity on internet chat
sites. On one site, a person who self-identifies as a member of the
Folsom club wrote "Our range relies on law enforcement agencies,
mainly the California Dept of Corrections, for a large part of our
revenue. So this is no small thing to do."
Another chat posting read "Every gun store, gun manufacturer,
equipment supplier, and range should boycott all law enforcement
sales and support." Another read "If more companies would make this
stand and simply say 'if you're going to make it hard for the public
to own firearms then we aren't going to assist you in arming yourself
against them' maybe the balance would shift." Yet another read "We
should ask our respective gun clubs to ban all law enforcement (not
just the CA DOJ) from using their ranges as a training ground or for
their pistol qualifications. We'll see how far that goes." (See the
letter and the comments at
http://calguns.net/eve/ubb.x/a/tpc/f/545600176/m/29010985521)
The state Assembly has passed AB 352, which would give police the
ability to match bullet shells at the scene of a crime to the gun
that fired the bullet. A day later, the State Senate passed SB 357,
the bill that will require that all handgun bullets have a serial
number that identifies the purchaser. These "cutting edge" proposals
are important, powerful tools for police and other states may follow
suit. AB 352 now moves to the State Senate and SB 357 now moves to
the Assembly.
In 2003, there were nearly 1,600 handgun homicides in California. In
a typical year in California, no arrest is made in almost half of the
state's homicides because police lack enough evidence to find the murderer.
