sending a letter to MKE Sheriff Clarke

In addition to complimenting him on his (at least moderately) pro-citizen remarks, I'm asking him to stand behind what he said about supporting citizen empowerment.
We'll see what (if any) response I get.
More letters would be good, esp. from people in the MKE area. (Hint, hint :cluebat: )
The bolding wasn't in the letter I sent; doing it here to emphasize the suggestions.
There would be some expense for the info sessions, but I'm sure they already have a public education / public relations budget. And I can't think of an expense involved w/ opening the range to citizens.

@@@

Sheriff David Clarke
821 W State St., Rm. 107
Milwaukee, WI
53233

I was at the Capitol for the hearing on AB126 on Thursday, saw your testimony, and am absolutely stunned at your support for responsible citizens being allowed to protect themselves effectively. When we heard you called to speak, we expected anti-rights rhetoric (which most of the other law enforcement people testifying delivered). You surprised us all, in a very good way.

I am in complete agreement with this statement you made: “The public can't rely on the law to protect them.”

But when you referred to “carrying privileges”, that rankled. I have the right to keep & bear arms for my own defense, protected by the Wisconsin & Federal Constitutions. The permit bills currently under consideration in Madison would turn that into a privilege, which is one reason I spoke against them.

No law will prevent criminals from doing whatever they want. Laws only hinder law-abiding people. Why should criminals have more freedom than I? I will only harm someone who's trying to harm me.

A meta-study released in 2004 by the U.S. National Academy of Sciences reviewed 253 journal articles, 99 books, 43 government publications, and some original research. It failed to identify any gun control that had reduced violent crime, suicide, or gun accidents.

“I am willing to consider any initiative that empowers citizens to be the stewards of their own safety.”

Would you consider setting up free seminars for people wanting to learn the current laws about possession & carriage of firearms, & their lawful use in self-defense? I'd volunteer to help with such a program.

How about opening the department firing range to citizens for practice when there's not training scheduled for officers? It's publicly-owned property. Why shouldn't citizens get the use of it?

I look forward to hearing back from you.

Great letter!

i see no mention of cheeseburgers.

McX said:

i see no mention of cheeseburgers.

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Bacon cheeseburgers.... mmmmmmmmmmm....

Great letter as well.

Excellent letter MKEgal!!

atagal

BRAAAAAVOOOOO:monkey

I was at the Madison hearing. I found it interesting how quiet the room became when Sheriff Clarke walked in. He spoke ... the panel listened!

Something we need to support with him is to make illegal gun possession and straw buying a felony with a mandatory 3 year sentence to run consecutively to any other time. District attorneys bargain down or drop gun charges much too often. We complain that current gun laws aren't being enforced. Maybe this would help.

Peacekeeper said:

Something we need to support with him is to make illegal gun possession and straw buying a felony with a mandatory 3 year sentence to run consecutively to any other time.

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I'm opposed to mandatory almost anything (though sentencing for things like DUI, murder, & harming a child come close, & there are many times I've thought that people should be chemically sterilized at 12 & that's not removed until they pass a parenting class).

Esp. since part of what Clarke wants to make illegal (& therefore a 3y felony) is possession of a firearm without a gov't license.
Straw buying is already a crime, why isn't it punished? It can be hard to prove.

Use of a firearm to commit a crime, sure, make it a penalty enhancer that's mandatory prison time & can't be bargained down. Someone has been harmed; the person doing the harming should pay in some way.

But if the gun just happens to be in your car when you're stopped for DUI, the gun has nothing to do with the crime. Or if the 'crime' isn't, really, like CCW. Who's harmed by that?

I heard several cases yesterday very similar to that scenario, and the judge decided that since a gun was present when a crime was committed, that the gun was "used in the commission of a crime", and therefore the person was legally prohibited from having their property returned; it must be destroyed.

From stupid politicians on Thurs. to a stupid judge on Fri.
Where could I do more good if I entered a different career?

(Actually, she did a couple things I agreed with, including restoring someone's right to posess a firearm. Apparently he'd done something stupid as a juvenile (15 years ago), had since cleaned up his act, had bought a rifle, hunted for several years, & when he went to buy a handgun that background check showed his juvie problem. Once he explained to her that the law says she can restore his right, & she looked it up, she asked him a few questions & found the right form to fill out.)

Oh, and the stupid city attorney, too.
One gal had been in an apartment where she was staying temporarily (so it's her home), confronted by 3 men, punched in the face by one of them, got her pistol from her purse, held it at her side (pointed down) & warned them to leave her alone (while calling 911).
Police took that pistol (luckily she had another!), and even though it was eventually determined that she acted in self-defense she still had to go through the court process to get it back.
The city attorney argued that she was in violation of CCW... even though he had the police report saying that the incident happened INSIDE the apartment & she was a resident there!!
Luckily the judge caught it.

I gave her WI Carry website to learn about WI laws, & OCDO to come chat w/ & learn from us.
Hopefully she'll pop in & say hi, maybe come to an event.

Peacekeeper said:

Something we need to support with him is to make illegal gun possession and straw buying a felony with a mandatory 3 year sentence to run consecutively to any other time. District attorneys bargain down or drop gun charges much too often. We complain that current gun laws aren't being enforced. Maybe this would help.

Click to expand...

No thanks. As someone at the NRA meeting mentioned, let's say that a woman breaks up with her boyfriend and he starts threatening her. She has never carried a weapon before so didn't have the forethought of getting a permit. She all of a sudden needs a weapon, so, since it is better to be judged by 12 instead of carried by 6 and it's only a misdemeanor, she buys a gun and applies for the permit, which can take 21 days to get. At least with a misdemeanor, she won't lose her carrying rights.

The real answer is Constitutional Carry so there would be no crime if someone carried.

paul@paul-fisher.com said:

No thanks. As someone at the NRA meeting mentioned, let's say that a woman breaks up with her boyfriend and he starts threatening her. She has never carried a weapon before so didn't have the forethought of getting a permit. She all of a sudden needs a weapon, so, since it is better to be judged by 12 instead of carried by 6 and it's only a misdemeanor, she buys a gun and applies for the permit, which can take 21 days to get. At least with a misdemeanor, she won't lose her carrying rights.

The real answer is Constitutional Carry so there would be no crime if someone carried.

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You are correct ... the real answer IS constitutional carry!

According to the NRA handout ... PPA Key provisions ... Enables citizens at risk of harm to petition courts for an emergency 30 day license. When getting a protection court order would be a good time to get this temporary license. Until then open carry.

Clarke was refurring to criminals charged with other crimes where by the DA drops the gun charges ... to make a deal ... to get a quick conviction.

MKEgal said:

The city attorney argued that she was in violation of CCW... even though he had the police report saying that the incident happened INSIDE the apartment & she was a resident there!!
Luckily the judge caught it.

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You have to believe the city attorney knew this and was being hostile to carry rights. Nobody is that careless in the performance of their job. We're constantly hearing about DAs and LEOs who just DON'T KNOW THEIR JOB. :banghead:

MKEgal said:

I was ...... and am absolutely stunned at your support for responsible citizens being allowed to protect themselves effectively.

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I'm not.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WNBx1Y2tzzw

Watch the video. He did not even want to look at our freind Jerri.

Sheriff Clarke was a speaker at Americans for Prosperity 2nd annual summit, "Defending the American Dream" in March of 2009.

He is one of us.

Peacekeeper said:

I was at the Madison hearing. I found it interesting how quiet the room became when Sheriff Clarke walked in. He spoke ... the panel listened!

Something we need to support with him is to make illegal gun possession and straw buying a felony with a mandatory 3 year sentence to run consecutively to any other time. District attorneys bargain down or drop gun charges much too often. We complain that current gun laws aren't being enforced. Maybe this would help.

Click to expand...

I have a very strong feeling that legislation will be reintroduced again very soon.

Peacekeeper said:

I was at the Madison hearing. I found it interesting how quiet the room became when Sheriff Clarke walked in. He spoke ... the panel listened!

Something we need to support with him is to make illegal gun possession and straw buying a felony with a mandatory 3 year sentence to run consecutively to any other time. District attorneys bargain down or drop gun charges much too often. We complain that current gun laws aren't being enforced. Maybe this would help.

Click to expand...

I think it is crazy to make a first time offence a felony. I think it would allow the LEOs to trump up charges against anyone open carrying I.E your shirt falls over your weapon. I think the law should be a in commision of a crime a felony. I just think there would be no distinction between some one who is law abiding and makes an honest mistake and a bad guy. they will hit us hard with that law. (just my thoughts)

Sorry for the necropost...

Russf said:

I think it would allow the LEOs to trump up charges against anyone open carrying I.E. your shirt falls over your weapon.

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From your lips to god's ears.