imported post
ASP Ranger wrote:
Currently there are over 40 law enforcement officers working in Alabama State Parks. A high majority of these officers live on the park where they work, and are on site during hours of operation at these parks. At the larger parks, officers are constantly confiscating wepons from those who have been arested for crimes ranging from DUI to Domestic Violence and drug possession. While most law abiding, permit holding members of the public do not pose an immediate threat to these officers and others, sometimes people crack, and if they do so while armed with a handgun, the situation could become very messy very quickly. Another reason for the ban on firearms is the fact that all state parks are designated as game sanctuaries, and many people are arrested for poaching game each year from the parks. And that is while firearms are prohibited. Imagine if we were to allow folks to legally carry weapons into the parks. How many more animals would be illegally harvested if that were the case? Sure, the offender would likely be found and arrested, but that does not bring back the natural resource that they have taken. As to camping in remote areas of the parks, camping is only allowed in designated camping areas, and very few parks have wilderness camping available. There are no areas in the parks where a person armed only with a cell phone could not be found within a very short period of time.
Love it when I hear/see the same old. tired, empty arguments thrown out - it provides a little levity in an otherwise somber world.
Let' see where to begin? Well for starters, the states that have allowed legally responsible citizens to carry in their parks have NONE of the problems you mention. Not with poaching, not with attacks on officers, none of the above.
Do you think that the good citizens of Alabama are less trustworthy, less good and decent people than the residents of these other states? Do you really believe that they are law abiding citizens
until they cross the entrance line to the parks - then they become bad, dangerous and should not be permitted to do what they do other places - enjoy the RIGHT to defend themselves.
Then the simple answer to the cell phone dilemma is time. Seconds versus minutes, lots of them. Want to bet your life on a cell phone? What is really interesting is that when the officers respond, what will they have that brings you comfort? The answer is guns. So the bottom line is you wish to add time, considerable time to the equation at the expense of the people.
BTW - Mr. Not-Soon-Enough Ranger did you know that they average permit holder commits less violent crime and shoots more accurately than the average LEO? Nah, I'm not going to cite either - let that be your homework.
Yata hey
