Illinois Police Trading Shotguns for Assault Rifles
(Schaumburg, Illinois) Local police officers will replace their 12-gauge pump-action shotguns with .223-caliber AR-15 assault rifles.
"This provides our officers with increased firearm power," said Sgt. John Nebl, a police spokesman. "[Rifles] are easily accurate for at least up to 100 yards."This upgrade makes sense to me. The rifles are easier to handle and able to match the firepower available to 21st Century criminals and terrorists. To be effective, police should never be outgunned by rapists, murderers, terrorists and thieves.
Nebl said the shotguns hold four rounds and are accurate to about 50 yards.
The rifles, which hold 30 rounds, will be issued to officers in late summer or early fall, he said.
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4 comments:
Actually it makes no sense. You have issues of over penetration and endangering innocents. Not to mention the unwieldiness of rifles in tight corridors. Say in a building.
Shotguns however can have non-lethal rounds (Beanbag, etc). Rubber bullets are not safe in close quarters. Ask the Israelis.
It's disappointing that there seems to be a need to arm our police like we arm our soldiers. They don't need that kind of firepower do to their job.
Lee, you're wrong. With a 5.56 rifle, you don't have issues of over-penetration. You really should do your homework before popping off. They don't endanger innocents any more than shotguns and handguns do. Officer are responsible for their rounds, no matter if it's a rifle, a shotgun or a handgun.
Having said that, it's a bad idea to get rid of shotguns, just to get rifles. The rifles should be in addition to, not instead of, shotguns.
Why would this dept. want to get rid of such a valuable tool?
indeed, it makes little sense.
An AR15 is a fine weapon (mind that the photograph shows a CAR15 carbine version) but it's not really suited to close quarters fighting like inside buildings and in other confined spaces typically encountered by police forces.
It makes sense for a rural or suburban police force to have some, but not to have them to the exclusion of shotguns.
And for innercity police forces that's even more so, they need rifles like they need mortars and anti-aircraft missiles.
If you do want to equip police forces with a weapon with higher penetration power than what's offered by a shotgun, either give them more powerful shotgun rounds than birdshot or equip them with submachine guns like MP5s or Uzis. Shorter range, easier to handle in confined spaces, and less penetration power so less likely to hurt people on the far side of walls and vehicles.
Just make sure to disable full auto to prevent cops trying to play the moviestar by spraying bullets left and right...
"thebronze", we're talking the Illinois police here. Probably the most irresponsible bunch of blue the world has ever seen...
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