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DoubleDeuce 1 · August 24, 2014, 05:21 PM

Pilot,

I don't see how you can make such a statement as that. What part of the country do you live in?

As far as budgets go, I can say for a fact, budgets are a reality that have to be dealt with no matter who you are or what you do. Another fact, at least in the part of the country where I live, budgets are taking hits like crazy. That translates to reduction in pay, BIG reductions in pay. That also means very little for maintaining equipment, providing training etc. Also, it means a drastic reduction in firearms training. A local department has now had to resort to using airsoft guns for firearms training on a regular basis. Other departments only have firearms training twice or maybe four times a year because of budgets. Budget cuts... and all the time the work load does not decrease.

I know for a fact there was a point in time when a local department was paying a dollar a round for handgun ammunition. That went on for several months. It has not gotten much better.

I also know for a fact some departments do not always supply officers with the firearms they may carry. A lot of officers elect to purchase and carry their own weapons because those supplied by the department(s) are very old and worn, some beyond repair. Weapons approved by some department(s) are not supplied, and as such are purchased by the individual officers.

Here is another fact: I know of a local department, fairly large, that for a long time over half of the sidearms carried on duty, were supplied and purchased by the officers. A large majority aslo purchased their own long guns.

Here is something to consider. When you go to work, how much does you "uniform" cost you? Uniforms are provided or compensated for to a degree. But consider stepping out into the world every day, putting on your "business suit" with a price tag of approx $200.00. And that is just the clothing, and what is visible.

Does the color of a piece of cloth, blue, green or black make it "militarized"? I don't think so. Like it or not, there are reasons for uniforms, of any color or cut.

People need to stop and think about these sorts of things. Monies that might go into an operating budget have been sidelined for "social" programs instead. It gets dumped into free cell phones, wifi, food stamps and bad schools that insist on turning out garbage students. The government has rewarded folks with money and other support for a "cash crop" of dependants, some of whom continually display an appetite for more stuff they believe they are owed.

I don't think this incident will be a call for firearms restrictions, and I hope not. I think the focus has been artfully diverted to something that has no bearing on the incident.

August 24, 2014, 05:21 PM	#221
DoubleDeuce 1 Senior Member Join Date: February 21, 2013 Posts: 101	Pilot, I don't see how you can make such a statement as that. What part of the country do you live in? As far as budgets go, I can say for a fact, budgets are a reality that have to be dealt with no matter who you are or what you do. Another fact, at least in the part of the country where I live, budgets are taking hits like crazy. That translates to reduction in pay, BIG reductions in pay. That also means very little for maintaining equipment, providing training etc. Also, it means a drastic reduction in firearms training. A local department has now had to resort to using airsoft guns for firearms training on a regular basis. Other departments only have firearms training twice or maybe four times a year because of budgets. Budget cuts... and all the time the work load does not decrease. I know for a fact there was a point in time when a local department was paying a dollar a round for handgun ammunition. That went on for several months. It has not gotten much better. I also know for a fact some departments do not always supply officers with the firearms they may carry. A lot of officers elect to purchase and carry their own weapons because those supplied by the department(s) are very old and worn, some beyond repair. Weapons approved by some department(s) are not supplied, and as such are purchased by the individual officers. Here is another fact: I know of a local department, fairly large, that for a long time over half of the sidearms carried on duty, were supplied and purchased by the officers. A large majority aslo purchased their own long guns. Here is something to consider. When you go to work, how much does you "uniform" cost you? Uniforms are provided or compensated for to a degree. But consider stepping out into the world every day, putting on your "business suit" with a price tag of approx $200.00. And that is just the clothing, and what is visible. Does the color of a piece of cloth, blue, green or black make it "militarized"? I don't think so. Like it or not, there are reasons for uniforms, of any color or cut. People need to stop and think about these sorts of things. Monies that might go into an operating budget have been sidelined for "social" programs instead. It gets dumped into free cell phones, wifi, food stamps and bad schools that insist on turning out garbage students. The government has rewarded folks with money and other support for a "cash crop" of dependants, some of whom continually display an appetite for more stuff they believe they are owed. I don't think this incident will be a call for firearms restrictions, and I hope not. I think the focus has been artfully diverted to something that has no bearing on the incident.