NO KIDDING: Detroit Police Chief, ‘Guns Deter Crime’

Detroit— If more citizens were armed, criminals would think twice about attacking them, Detroit Police Chief James Craig said Thursday.

Urban police chiefs are typically in favor of gun control or reluctant to discuss the issue, but Craig on Thursday was candid about how he’s changed his mind.

“When we look at the good community members who have concealed weapons permits, the likelihood they’ll shoot is based on a lack of confidence in this Police Department,” Craig said at a press conference at police headquarters, adding that he thinks more Detroit citizens feel safer, thanks in part to a 7 percent drop in violent crime in 2013.

Craig said he started believing that legal gun owners can deter crime when he became police chief in Portland, Maine, in 2009.

“Coming from California (Craig was on the Los Angeles police force for 28 years), where it takes an act of Congress to get a concealed weapon permit, I got to Maine, where they give out lots of CCWs (carrying concealed weapon permits), and I had a stack of CCW permits I was denying; that was my orientation.

“I changed my orientation real quick. Maine is one of the safest places in America. Clearly, suspects knew that good Americans were armed.”

Craig’s statements Thursday echoed those he made Dec. 19 on “The Paul W. Smith Show” on WJR (760 AM), when he said: “There’s a number of CPL (concealed pistol license) holders running around the city of Detroit. I think it acts as a deterrent. Good Americans with CPLs translates into crime reduction. I learned that real quick in the state of Maine.”

Robyn Thomas, director of the the Law Center to Prevent Gun Violence in San Francisco, disagreed.

“I think at its core, his position is an emotional one, based on the idea that people feel safer when they have guns. But studies have shown more guns don’t deter crime,” Thomas said. “There’s no research that shows guns make anyone safer, and it does show that, the more guns in any situation, the higher the likelihood of them harming either the owner, or people who have access to them.”

Rick Ector of the Firearm Academy of Detroit, which teaches gun safety classes, said Craig’s comments are unusual for a police official.


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Gun Control; Ranted Against ‘Republicans’ Who Blocked Stricter Gun Laws

Colorado gunman Karl Pierson, who seriously injured a 17-year-old girl when he opened fire at his school, supported tougher gun laws.

The 18-year-old, who had been dropped from the debate team, was said to have had strong views on politics and gun control, classmates said.

Pierson was also allegedly suspended from the school in September for making threats against the team coach, Tracy Murphy, believed to have been the target for Friday's attack.

'He had very strong beliefs about gun laws and stuff,' junior Abbey Skoda told the Denver Post.

The paper reported that Pierson had once posted an image on Facebook with the slogan: 'The Republican Party: Health Care: Let 'em Die, Climate Change: Let 'em Die, Gun Violence: Let 'em Die, Women's Rights: Let 'em Die, More War: Let 'em Die. Is this really the side you want to be on?'

The post had been removed on Saturday.

Despite seemingly supporting gun control, Pierson legally bought the shotgun that he used only one week before carrying out his attack.

The teenager carried out his attack while his mother, who he had been living with since his parents divorced, was out of town caring for a sick relative.

During the attack he fired five times, shooting 17-year-old Claire Davis at point blank range, before shooting himself in the library.


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