However....

"Mayor Thomas M. Menino is not outright opposed to stepping up the Boston Police Department’s firepower, but he “doesn’t want to see patrol officers walking around the streets with AK-47s,” said spokeswoman Dot Joyce."

Complete article:

http://news.bostonherald.com/n...srvc=home&position=5

FBI boss urges BPD to use big guns
Says assault weapons key to thwarting terror strikes

By Laurel J. Sweet
Wednesday, August 19, 2009 |

Boston cops armed with military-style assault weapons would be better equipped to combat - and possibly deter - a terrorist attack on the city such as that which killed 173 people in Mumbai in November, said Warren T. Bamford, special agent in charge of the FBI’s Hub offices.

Though cognizant the public might not appreciate seeing their community cops armed to the teeth, “We would be more prepared if we had those here than if we didn’t. We should find a way,” Bamford told Herald editors and reporters yesterday.

Mayor Thomas M. Menino is not outright opposed to stepping up the Boston Police Department’s firepower, but he “doesn’t want to see patrol officers walking around the streets with AK-47s,” said spokeswoman Dot Joyce.

Police Commissioner Edward Davis “has spoken with Special Agent Bamford in regards to this issue and the mayor believes, along with the commissioner, that these weapons should be in the hands of specialized units and available in our neighborhoods, but not assigned to patrol officers,” Joyce said.

Davis was unavailable for comment yesterday.

Bamford, a Lowell native, has long specialized in domestic terrorism and counter-intelligence for the FBI.

Boston is well known around the world and hosts a major seaport as well as numerous tourist attractions - all factors that make the city vulnerable, Bamford said.

If an officer were to be confronted with an assault weapon, “he should have the capability to respond in kind,” Bamford said.

Ten terrorists wielding AK-47s and bombs indiscriminately shot and blew up dozens of people in Mumbai over three days in November. More than 300 other people were injured.

In Boston, “There is no indication of any threats right now,” Bamford said. “What I worry about are the groups radicalizing young people.”

This message has been edited. Last edited by: Sigmund,

Well, its a good thing the mayor came off yet again like he knows what he is talking about.

At least it is not a definite "No".

quote:

If an officer were to be confronted with an assault weapon, “he should have the capability to respond in kind,” Bamford said.

How about giving a citizen confronted by a terrorist with an assault weapons the capability to respond in kind?

This guy is a freakin' idiot. Walk through the streets of NYC and you'll see our version of SWAT with A-4's at "sensitive" locations. Go to the airports and see the national guard with M-16's. The visible show of force DETERS criminals and terrorists. That's why they hit hotels, they're soft targets.

I saw one local city rep that was ok with AR-15's but didnt want any assault rifles or M-16's on his streets. I was going to call the news channel instead I just turned it off

i thought that the Boston PD ended terrorism once and for all in "Blown Away"

I am pretty sure the AK-47 will not be the BPD weapon of choice.

I feel sorry for those that live in that great state.

quote:

Walk through the streets of NYC and you'll see our version of SWAT with A-4's at "sensitive" locations.

That's the shame. No police force in the US needs to be armed with anti-armor weapons. That's crossing the line between police force and military. What's next defensive claymores at "sensitive" sites? Hell why stop there, might as well go all out and arm them with javelin systems as well.

quote:

Originally posted by Sigmund:
However....

"Mayor Thomas M. Menino is not outright opposed to stepping up the Boston Police Department’s firepower, but he “doesn’t want to see patrol officers walking around the streets with AK-47s,” said spokeswoman Dot Joyce."

My reaction to this kind of BS if I were one of his officers would something along these lines, "Well sir, I see you are more concerned about the PC and the PR on this one than the lives of your citizens in your jursidiction, and moreso, us cops who would be defending them. How do you feel about losing a few lives before you'll do a F%*^ing thing?" And I would be thrilled to say it in person too.

I've met SAC Bamford several times and have always been impressed with him. He runs a tight ship in Boston.

quote:

Originally posted by beefangusbeef:

quote:

Walk through the streets of NYC and you'll see our version of SWAT with A-4's at "sensitive" locations.

That's the shame. No police force in the US needs to be armed with anti-armor weapons. That's crossing the line between police force and military. What's next defensive claymores at "sensitive" sites? Hell why stop there, might as well go all out and arm them with javelin systems as well.

Chill. I do not know if Bobcat meant to type "M-4" instead of "A-4," but I'm sure he didn't intend to type "AT-4" (the shoulder-fired 84mm rocket designed in Sweden).

The Boston Office of the FBI is not exactly the center of truth and justice in law enforcement as each and every SAC vows to catch the really bad guys and then quietly rotates out to their next assignment having pursued many leads in a vigorous fashion. The BPD was offered surplus military weapons, some of which may not have been updated to three round burst capability. Remember this is the city where two cops emptied their Glocks into a stolen bus in a busy neighborhood and achieved....absolutely nothing. The transit Cops are frequently at the train stations festooned in the full "black suit" with loaded H&K MP5's. Now that's scary.

I am kinda surprised this hasn't taken a turn for the worse yet. Usually these turn into a debate about the police becoming too militarized and then devolve into a discussion about police officer being "civilians" and then they just go to shit.

I can't say I am surprised that this comes from Boston, but whatever. I am for the police departments being armed with whatever they feel their officers need, just as long as the "civilian" population can obtain the same weapons. It sickens me to see any elected official (or anyone for that matter) with a distain and distrust for their own police officers as a group.

That being said I would however probably leave any area I saw a police officer wielding an AT-4.

quote:

Originally posted by Pale Horse:

That being said I would however probably leave any area I saw a police officer wielding an AT-4.

I kinda think there are probably areas of Boston that the police could use an AT-4.

Menino is a fucking retard.

quote:

Originally posted by Sig2340:

quote:

If an officer were to be confronted with an assault weapon, “he should have the capability to respond in kind,” Bamford said.

How about giving a citizen confronted by a terrorist with assault weapons the capability to respond in kind?

Sir, you just gained the respect of at least one Citizen.

Seeing that law enforcement Officers are Citizens, your suggestion represents THE answer to all of America's problems with so-called "terrorism."

If word got out that every Citizen was as capable as the Officer, we would all have less trouble to deal with. We all know that criminals will always have access to "assault" weapons.

I'd like to thank you and give a shout out to the Phoenix PD for their professional and enthusiastic support on 8-17-09.

Thanks!

quote:

Originally posted by Sig2340:

quote:

If an officer were to be confronted with an assault weapon, “he should have the capability to respond in kind,” Bamford said.

How about giving a citizen surf confronted by a terrorist with an assault weapons the capability to respond in kind?

Fixed it.

quote:

Originally posted by Psychobastard:

quote:

Originally posted by Sig2340:

quote:

If an officer were to be confronted with an assault weapon, “he should have the capability to respond in kind,” Bamford said.

How about giving a citizen surf serf confronted by a terrorist with an assault weapons the capability to respond in kind?

Fixed it.

Fixed it. Again.

http://news.bostonherald.com/n..._bpd_despite_arrest/

Mayor Menino: No assault rifles for BPD despite arrest

By Richard Weir | Thursday, October 22, 2009 |


Mayor Thomas M. Menino is sticking to his guns and will not provide Boston patrol cops with assault rifles despite the arrest of a Sudbury terrorism suspect who allegedly plotted to use automatic weapons to open fire on shoppers and emergency responders in malls.

“My position from day one has been very clear. Specialized units, they should have assault weapons in their trunks. But I don’t want to see police officers walking the streets with assault weapons,” Menino said yesterday.

The mayor has resisted urging from the head of the Boston FBI to arm neighborhood officers with semiautomatic assault rifles.

Warren T. Bamford, the special agent-in-charge of the FBI field office in Boston, said in August that the Boston Police Department should reconsider launching a now scuttled plan to equip as many as 200 patrol cops with M-16s.

He noted that other big cities have equipped specially trained police officers with high-powered weapons and that a lack of them on the Boston force makes the city more vulnerable to terrorism attacks such as the 2008 massacre in Mumbai, India, that killed 166 people.

BPD spokeswoman Elaine Driscoll declined to reveal how many assault weapons the department has in its arsenal but said only SWAT team members have them.

When the U.S. military offered free M-16s to Boston police last spring, the department requested 140 of the rifles but later shelved its plan of arming patrol officers with them due to backlash from community leaders.

“We have never picked them up,” Driscoll said of the assault rifles, adding they are ‘’not one of (Commissioner Edward Davis’) priorities right now.”