Like you and me, only better
In Illinois, only the police should have access to safety equipment:
A bill being pushed by a local state lawmaker would allow law enforcement officials to tone the sound down on their guns. 91st District State Representative Mike Unes is the chief sponsor of House Bill 1708. It passed out of the House Judiciary II- Criminal Law Committee 7-0 Thursday.
Unes says the use of the suppressor will help the long term health of the officers. He says the equipment officers use now could cause permanent hearing damage.
Bartonville Police Chief Brian Fengel and his officers brought the initiative forward.
I agree. Suppressors are great safety tools and they are the polite thing to do. Unfortunately, mufflers in this country are strictly regulated and, in some places, banned. If we treated car mufflers like that, there’d be an outrage.
I think this bill is actually a good start. It gets put into law that suppressors are actually great safety equipment.
March 15th, 2011 at 9:51 am
Yep. In the Peoples Republik of Madiganistan (where Illinois used to be), the unwashed masses MAY NOT possess those evil, degenerate suppressors. After all, only criminals don’t want their gunshots to be heard. Right?
March 15th, 2011 at 10:34 am
First, I want one of those “22 gage shotguns”. Then I would like to see what the holsters for the Glocks with muzzle cans would look like. Jack.
March 15th, 2011 at 12:23 pm
Talk about about giving the criminals a one up.. Clearing a police style holster with a can on it would be quite a draw height… Shit criminals could have time to fumble their weapon and pick it up off the floor before the cop clears his holster.
March 15th, 2011 at 1:38 pm
Why would you think they would put them on carry pistols instead of carbines?
If they carry a suppressed pistol (.22 for doggies), it is usually in a chest rig.
March 15th, 2011 at 2:25 pm
I have eyed with desire in my heart the purpose-built Ruger 22LR pistols with integral suppressors. Bring ’em on, at prices lower than at present!
March 15th, 2011 at 2:41 pm
I would bet this is all just some higher up LEO trying to figure out a way to spend federal dollars.
It is funny though, when you apply the whole “only criminals dont want their guns shots to be heard” mantra. It is Illinois, after all!
March 15th, 2011 at 2:46 pm
Thanks for catching this. Normally, I don’t favor legislation that protects the RTKBA for government officials, while leaving the rest of us behind. I may like this one, only because it advances sound-suppressors one more step into general acceptability.
Maybe. Still thinking about it.
March 15th, 2011 at 2:51 pm
It advances MUFFLERS one more step into general acceptability. The more people who learn that a can doesn’t change the sound of a gunshot to a muffled cough, the more we can (maybe) have a rational conversation about how these are valuable safety equipment rather than the (magical) equipment of assassins.
March 15th, 2011 at 10:05 pm
Never going to fly folks. Cops use job related hearing loss as a means of obtaining a disabled (tax free) pension.
Yeah, I know they use plugs on the range and usually never fire their gun in the line of duty.
March 16th, 2011 at 7:00 am
Also good to hear that Illinois has solved their budget problems so they can invest in the safety of their LEO’s! Things are looking up!