“An automatic M-16 rifle is missing from one of the Philadelphia Police Department’s main gun-storage units and Commissioner Charles Ramsey has called in federal authorities to investigate,” philly.com reports. “Obviously, this is very, very serious,” Ramsey said. “And believe me, we will get to the bottom of it, one way or another, I guarantee that.” Cops lose gun. Cops go crazy trying to find it before it turns into another Fast and Furious Brian Terry deal. Another day, another example of why cops should not have a monopoly on the use of ballistic force. OK, it is a fully-automatic “assault rifle” that went walkies. But here’s the bit that caught my editorial eye . . .
Ramsey said a regularly scheduled audit last week of 1,356 Colt M-16 rifles stored in a vault at the Philadelphia Police Academy revealed that one of the weapons was missing.
And the Philly po-po have an arsenal of machine guns because . . .
The cache of Vietnam-era automatic M-16s was given by the military to police, who are converting the weapons to semiautomatic AR-15s, Ramsey said. Indications are that the missing weapon had not yet been converted, he said.
The missing machine gun—and the fact that its new owners don’t know whether or not it’s been modded to semi-auto—may make Commissioner Ramsey look incompetent but . . . uh . . . it must be said: what an idiot.
The worst-case scenario, Ramsey said, is that the gun may have been stolen by one of his officers. In that case, Ramsey said, he’d do everything possible to assure that the thief gets time in a federal prison – even though he wasn’t quite sure what criminal statute would be applicable.
“I don’t know what it is,” he said, “but whatever the hell it is, we’re gonna use it.”
Need more proof that the top cop—who opposes residents’ right to keep and bear arms—isn’t the sharpest cop in the box? The Philadelphia News provides it:
Ramsey said that the department has “never had anything like this happen to us before,” and that he was not aware of another missing weapon in his five years with the department.
However, in 2011, following a Daily News investigation into allegations of impropriety in the department’s Firearms Identification Unit, an audit by the U.S. Department of Justice conducted at Ramsey’s request found that eight guns were missing from that unit’s storage department.
The Pentagon’s 1033 Program—transferring billions of dollars worth of “excess” military hardware to over 17k police departments all over the country—provided Philly’s 1,356 (formerly 1,357) M-16s. The guns are (were?) kept in 800-pound crates in the evidence room.
I wonder how much other former military hardware has “seeped” from cop shops to criminals—excluding the aforementioned officially sanctioned ATF Fast and Furious anti-gun running gun running operation.
And it sure seems that the cops aren’t as out-gunned as they’ve said.
Why do the police need a baby killing murder weapon? Are they going to kill babies and children? WHYYYYYYYYY DO THEY NEEED THAT?
That’s easy. because there are some 717,500 Blacks in Phillly. And just about all would kill a cop in a heart beat.
They’ll give full auto rifles to police, but they won’t let South Korea send decommisioned Garands here for the civilian market. Makes perfect sense.
I think that they were M-14s.
Actually, some 300,000 M1 Garand service rifles and about a million M1 service carbines. Former Secretary of State Clinton and [Soon to be former] President Obama stopped the transfer of those classic weapons to the US. They will have to wait until we get a legitimate administration in 2016.
I would be surprised if there is a “legitimate” admin elected any time soon.
USAToday had a story this morning stating that some of his senior staff told him it would not get done before he even started but Obama is always overly optimistic of what power he has to persuade people.
At the of the day, he has no clue about the economy, his healthcare plan is falling apart, he has no idea what to do with energy policy and his entire precedency was about social policy which cannot be sustained with a fiat currency. He is failure in so many ways.
Once again I say, the job is not finished. I hope that gun owners remember everything come 2014 elections and 2016 elections. The ballot boxes have to tell the final story for the anti-gun bums. In 2016, we cannot let the mistress of evil get to the white house because she will just continue the Obama agenda including the gun control agenda.
If the feds can’t do it, they will encourage the states to do it one- by-one. Look at the Peoples Republic of Kalifornia. Two days ago the Senate passed sweeping legislation taxing ammo, making internet purchases illegal, and requiring additional registration of currently owned firearms AND ammo. While I love where I live in Northern CA, , I am definitely looking to retire somewhere else….
Maybe they should look in Commissioner Charles Ramsey’s basement.
Philly is a real safe town thanks to quality folks like Chief Chumbawumba.
I have just one question-What legitimate use does ANY police department have for fully automatic weapons?
They’re useful against giant ants in the New Mexico deserts and L.A. storm drains…
It’s pretty common for departments to get DRMO M16s, put modern fixtures on them, convert them to semi auto and issue them to patrol officers.
The majority of gear that is available through the program is not weapons though, it’s stuff like boots, helmets, sleeping bags, etc… after the department that gets the gear holds on to it for a year most of it is eligible to be auctioned off to the public anyway.
So what happened to all the “weapons of war have no place on our streets” BS we’ve been hearing for the four months or so since Sandy Hook?
Ramsey, a shining example of the bullsh*t of affirmative action.
An Army MP friend of mine, years ago, told me that most people would be shocked at the amount of hardware that walks off military bases. Mostly not MGs, but sometimes and a crap ton of ammo and other shit. Even if he was just exaggerating, if half what he was saying is true. So yea, a police depts, I can see it being even worst, especially when you consider that most now have some serious pew pew in the trunks of their cars. A simple vehicle theft could turn into some well armed bad guys.
They’re not is a safe – unloaded, trigger-locked and disassembled?
Several major U.S. street gangs, including but not limited to the Latin Kings and the 18th Street Gang, are known to have organized ongoing programs to infiltrate the U.S. military in order to obtain both training and hardware.
DHS calls these “weapons of war” “personal defense” weapons.
This one’s not as big a victory as your side had yesterday, but it’s something.
I have been forever awakened to the fact that a faction of people exists who would like to attempt to deprive me of all of my natural rights, including but not limited to my right to defend myself from aggression. All of the rest of you should never forget the last four months. Now, we need to be forever vigilant and proactive in protecting and fighting for the right to be human, which includes but is not limited to a right to self defense using firearms.
What’s in the bill without all those amendments? Is that something to worry about too?
Where did the 90% statistic come from, and can we debunk it and make viral because that sh!t just pisses me off. What polls? I am sure if you ask any question the right way you will get whatever result you want.
I am going to bet if you ask those 90% who support background checks (if they exist) 95% will have no idea WTH it means.
Seems like the NRA and others should be debunking the polls so can use that number any more.
One poll I saw on CNN was the “gun control” was important to 4% of the people. So do 90% support background checks? Maybe (but I doubt it), but there are a whole lot of other problems that are much more important to the country.
“The only thing more expensive than an education is ignorance”….Benjamin Franklin
Converting to semi-auto? Sureee, and Bill Clinton never inhaled!
It wasn’t a sad day for gun control. It was a sad day that so many senators voted against the Constitution of the United States of America.
didn’tharry reid vote nay?
How close was the vote on reciprocity ?
And where are we now with traveling across state lines with legally owned firearms?
Thanks for your collective insights.
Does anyone have a list of what is being voted on today and a summary of each?
“Troopers are simply tasked with the lawful mandate to enforce the laws of the State, regardless of their personal opinion of such law”
Bull. And don’t give me the union crap either. Both the union and it’s members are focused on themselves as though this issue is “Just Routine”. This is a constitutional issue and does not take a law degree to decide where you personally stand on the issue. State troopers are scared and unions are worried about the troopers. Who the hell is worried about the 2nd amendment? Why do these ass hats even take an oath to support and defend the constitution?
Here’s the bottom line troopers/police. Come for the guns and you will probably get hurt. You are doing the work of the enemies of the constitution. No excuses are accepted. No sympathy given. Just bottom line hardball. This is not a theory any longer, it is now a real world nightmare.
I will continue to pray that the day never comes where I have to defend my God given rights with sword and shield.
My local police department has a dozen or so Vietnam-era Bushmaster full-auto M16s they use during rifle qualification and range drills. They get used every couple months. They were given to the department through a federal grant by the military.
“If we can’t get it done four months after Sandy Hook, how are we going to get it done any time in the next four years?”
We all know that they’re praying for yet another Sandy Hook. if there is one, I’m sure they’ll be carrying the coffins through the streets of Washington.
Trigger kit looks like a wise investment for this gun, like so many others. These lawyer inspired triggers need plenty of help, this gun is no exception. Thanks for a no-nonsense review, just the facts as Joe Friday said.
I don’t even know what is being voted on today…nor what the original bill is… Is there a good place to find details that I don’t need a law degree to understand?
It pretty common to get the old surplus rifles and convert them over to semi for patrol use. My department got a bunch of colt M16A1 (vietnam vintage with triangle handgards and all) a few years back. They were probably sitting waiting for budget approval to buy the parts ( 1356 sets of them) to configure them how they wanted.
1356 sounds like a lot but that’s not nearly so much compared to the number of cops Philly employs.
As for suspects….. I would look at the guys who have keys to. Tube storage room……… Just sayin’
I’m watching Richard Blumenthal wave the bloody photograph. Just looking at Blumenthal makes me want to take a shower with carbolated soap.
@TTAG Can we get an article detailing where they get their supposed “90%” figure from?
The Barrasso Amendment doesn’t stop Journal News style disclosure of gun owner info. That would be beyond the scope of federal power. Barrasso provides that states and local govs that do publish such info will lose 5% of “Community Oriented Policing Services” program funding. That’s it.
Unfortunately, the Barrasso Amendment is a slap on the wrist and mostly a feel-good piece of legislation. It won’t change anything, which is why it passed.
So how do I go about buying guns online w/o a background check? Oh yeah, that’s right, you can’t!
Obama recognizing that would mean he possesses a modicum of maturity. So, no, never gonna happen.
“Other than those in the the most left-leaning precincts of the country, how many people who choose to live their lives as they wish look at the New York City’s Bloombergian nannyism…?”
California has already proved, through their voting trends, that they do. Ditto Washington, Oregon and much of the non-South eastern seaboard. Ditto Illinois.
Other states are trending in that direction.
This was just a battle; even losing armies/nation-states win battles as they lose the war. This war isn’t over, but it isn’t looking pretty, and our foes have already vowed to continue the fight. Do we have a similar will to continue? I’m not too confident.
Don’t be so sure as to who has who, Randy
“The only silver lining is that we now know who refuses to stand with the 90 percent of Americans – and in 2014, our ever-expanding coalition of supporters will work to make sure that voters don’t forget.”
Funny, I was thinking that exact same thing.
Is is just me, or does that picture remind anyone else of this?
http://www.hotflick.net/flicks/2007_I_Now_Pronounce_You_Chuck_And_Larry/007CNL_Rob_Schneider_002.jpg
Looks like He’s going to shelve it:
http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2013/04/18/reid-to-shelve-gun-bill/
SIT DOWN AND SHUT UP BITCH!
I would say, in this era of Suburbia and major urban centers where most people can’t simply go out into the woods with their fathers and shoot the ole 22 rifle that video games ARE most young peoples first introduction to firearms besides TV. I will be the first to admit a video game is the first thing that turned me on the P226.
In this era of online videos and video games people like FPS Russia or games like Call of Duty are ground zero for bringing young people closer to firearms.
do you have ANY idea how many things you can make explode? I’ll give you a hint. Lots.
Did you actually frame your argument against “common sense gun control laws”. So you are so unreasonable that laws that are just common sense are abhorrent to you.
Brandy, although gun control wouldn’t have done anything about the bombing themselves, probably would have helped with the FIREFIGHTS they had with cops, you got something against the Boston PD not getting shot at by terrorists? How very patriotic of you. Joe, the reason people thought it was right wing nut jobs is because of the date, apparently, they have a pattern of attacking on that date, and your country is pretty full of right wing nut jobs. Yours is the democracy that has suffered the highest percentage of Presidential assassinations, not to mention other right wing crazies like the KKK and Manson family (trying to start a race war automatically makes them right wing). Let us not forget what happened in Oklahoma City 18 years ago today. Every non-domestic terrorist attack on my native land of Canada has also been committed by right wing Americans attacking foreign (Cuban and Turkish) embassies in our capital Ottawa. You can see how the rest of world sees you as terrorists right?
The Philly police could use the rifles in the case of invasion by a foreign power (odds?) or full out civil insurrection. Its common for Americans to believe that the ability to rebel against our government is a check on abuse of government power and a legitimate 2nd Amendment justification for having firearms. That being said, even if you believe that is true, it’s possible that the faction engaged in the insurrection is a faction that is on the other side of your beliefs. In that case, you would want your police department to have automatic weapons. Nothing is simple when it comes to gun issues.
They don’t know what criminal statute they can use to ban ownership of firearms by the citizens either, but whatever it is they will find it, eventually. They need 1356 full auto M-16s because it is Philadelphia. The rifle was most likely stolen by a cop, or someone with free access to the firearms (duh). I hope those “Vietnam Era” M-16s work better for them than they did for us, conversion or not.
Guessing the Cops need these because their citizens have had all their guns taken away or restricted but the criminals, of course, still have firepower. Would be much better to allow their citizens to arm themselves. Then, maybe these automatic weapons would not be needed. Chances are the police will never get there in time to use them anyway, in most cases. Another example of the government wasting taxpayer money for useless firepower to look like they are accomplishing something and get political points while doing very little to solve the actual problems.
cops receive military hardware for one reason and one reason only. remember that civilian national security force talked about by Obama, well there you have it. almost all large city police depts have liberal chiefs. it is the feds way of keeping control of local communities so that the feds can concentrate on areas that resist attempts at control. american economy is going to get really bad in the months ahead. foreign governments are about to lower the boom on money lending to the US. when that occurs inflation is going to skyrocket and huge layoffs and firings will begin. `also, huge numbers of muslims from middle east warzones are being brought into the country. sooner or later this will enable a major terror effort from inside the country to start. the idea here is to commit the american people to support new draconian gun control measures in coming months. every time there is a mass shooting the liberals are increasing demands for gun control. as in Greece, america will soon have to attempt to cut back on spending or watch the nation plunge over the financial cliff. either way a majority of the american people will not willingly go along with what is coming, therefore, the feds know they must confiscate firearms or risk the rise of a strong anti-government population that will resist with deadly force directed against them. once the american people realize just how badly they have been sold out by their politicians they will explode. it is much harder to control an armed population as opposed to one that is disarmed.
WB provided the best comment yet by a long shot! Thank you! Now I haven’t much to say. I will limit myself to adding one thought; consider if the following were to be true: “Train up a child in the way that he should go and when he is old he shall not depart from it.” Proverbs 22:6. (including most child psychologist) As a youth, Barrys step father was a devout Muslim who taught him daily from the Koran and sent him to a Muslim school for YEARS where he wore the clothes head cap and prayed constantly bending over head to the ground to Allah. Barrys mentors were Muslim. As Barak fooled us on his health plan so assume he did on his core beliefs. Oddly enough, most people in America and the rest of the world are fearing that he is much more Muslim than Christian, a fact he hid well as he ran for president. Add this to comment of wb.