NCJ Number
172150
Journal
Police: The Law Enforcement Magazine Volume: 21 Issue: 11 Dated: (November 1997) Pages: 38-39
Date Published
1997
Length
2 pages
Annotation
The police carbine/rifle may be the solution to the increasingly common situations in which police handguns are inadequate in shootouts.
Abstract
A bank robbery and shootout in Los Angeles in 1997 demonstrated the inadequacy of common police weapons. Accurate, aimed rifle fire, even by pistol-caliber carbines, would have addressed the situation with minimal impact on the police officers and the community involved. The experience in Europe reveals that people will adapt to new weapons, especially if they contribute to a safer community. Many county agencies, fish and game departments, highway patrols, and even city police departments are already providing rifles or carbines. Rural jurisdictions may need rifle-caliber carbines due to the lack of ready backup, possible longer ranges of engagement, and the need to put down injured game or livestock. In contrast, pistol-caliber carbines may be appropriate for urban police agencies. Accurate, aimed fire is the safest kind. Handguns and shotguns are no longer adequate for street police officer, because they increasingly have to perform the same function as light infantry. Police agencies need to confront political correctness and ensure that police officers have the equipment they need to do their job. Photographs