Police Chiefs Speak


September 19, 2007

The International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP) released a groundbreaking and comprehensive report which details 39 specific recommendations for reversing the disturbing rise in gun violence in our nation and the tragic spike in line of duty deaths of police officers by firearms.

The report Taking a Stand: Reducing Gun Violence in Our Communities is a call for action that provides a clear roadmap for federal, state and local governments, as well as law enforcement, community and philanthropic leaders, to help reduce firearm-related violence in our communities.

Major recommendations of this report include:

• Requiring judges and law enforcement to remove guns from situations of domestic violence, as well as from people whose adjudicated mental illness, drug use, or previous criminal record suggests the possibility of violence
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  Requiring that all gun sales take place through licensed dealers (FFLs) with mandatory background checks
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  Destroying guns that come into police possession once the law enforcement use has ended
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  Improving officer training in debriefing suspects and handling crime guns, including tracing all guns
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  Training police officers in tactics that can lessen the possibility that a hostile situation will erupt in violence
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  Mandating safe storage of firearms and providing safe facilities where gun owners can store their weapons
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  Enacting an effective ban on military style assault weapons, armor-piercing bullets, and other weapons that enable criminals to outgun law enforcement
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  Restoring COPS funding
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  Repealing the Tiahrt Amendment, which hinders investigation of gun trafficking
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  Mandating reporting of lost and stolen firearms

Read the report here : IACP Summit Report

Sunday September 9th was Grandparents Day. Some may think that it is just another 'Hallmark day'.

For some grandparents it is very important.

I accompanied my daughter to see her grandparent in the nursing home. The 98 year old grandmother doesn't see very well these days and has a number of aches and pains but is still happy to see you and managed a laugh or two.

She has three living daughters that take very good care of her and visit often, even daily. Her husband has been deceased for many years.

She talked of her deceased father and husband but it was the thoughts of her son that were different.

This mother and grandmother lost her son to gun violence over 34 years ago and when she talked of him she cried and said 'I'll never forget'. Her grand daughter smiled but she remembered too.

You might think that 'people get over it'. They do go on and live their lives without showing the heartache they carry with them but the pain is still there for this parent as it is for so many others.

This victim was 33 years old when he was killed. He should still be here to take care of his mother. His children should have been able to know him.

It was easy for his killer to get a gun on the streets. Second hand sales happen all the time. As many as 40% of gun sales each year are secondary sales. Each of them has the potential to be lethal, sold to illegal buyers. If the gun was not the most frequently used weapon to kill no one would care how easy they are to get or how accessible they are to everyone.

When we talk about gun violence we need to remember it is about the people. They are dying and their families and friends are going to carry the scars forever.

I share this story because I want the problem of gun violence to be about a real person, to be so real that you will help us find the solutions to stop this unnecessary threat to our families.

I share this story because this grandmother's sadness reopened my scars as well. She is my mother in law - her son was my husband.

For each of you that are grandparents or hope to be, I wish you happy Grandparenting and hope all your memories are good ones.

T Hoover
Executive Director