Opinion
There’s a whole lot of hysterical, breathless information reporting noise about police departments reselling their used obligation weapons and that these weapons are ending up in crimes.
Current faux information media experiences with the backing of Everytown for Gun Security and The Hint, each financed by Michael Bloomberg, have sensationalized the notion that the resale of surplus police-issued weapons considerably contributes to crime. A more in-depth examination of the info and context reveals that these lawful, managed gross sales not solely have a minimal affect on crime charges but additionally present substantial monetary advantages to taxpayers.
The time period “gaslighting” refers to manipulating somebody into questioning their actuality. Making use of this time period to the media protection of police gun resales means that CBS and different retailers are intentionally distorting the reality to mislead the general public. Let’s study whether or not this accusation holds water.
Sensationalized Reporting
Selective Highlighting: CBS and different media retailers typically emphasize particular person circumstances the place police weapons have been utilized in crimes. These tales, whereas dramatic, characterize a really small fraction of general violent crime. For example, CBS Information highlighted that over a 16-year interval, 52,000 police weapons have been discovered at crime scenes. Whereas that quantity appears vital, it pales compared to the hundreds of thousands of authorized weapons bought and put into circulation every year.
Lack of Context: Many of those so-called investigative information experiences fail to supply the broader context. For instance, the three,245 police weapons concerned in crimes yearly are a tiny fraction of the hundreds of thousands of weapons owned by legislation abiding residents. With out this context, the general public may imagine that police gun resales are a serious driver of crime, which isn’t supported by the info.
Deceptive Statistics: Many of those so-called investigative information experiences fail to supply the broader context. The experiences typically cite that over a 16-year interval, greater than 52,000 police weapons have been recovered from crime scenes, averaging round 3,245 per yr. (The Hint) Whereas this quantity may appear alarming, it represents solely a tiny fraction of the entire variety of weapons in circulation yearly. The FBI and ATF information recommend there are a whole bunch of 1000’s of weapons every year, which means police weapons account for simply over 1% of those weapons. With out this context, the general public may imagine that police gun resales are a serious driver of crime, which isn’t supported by the info.
Monetary & Authorized Truths
Financial Advantages & Offsetting Taxpayer Spending: Police departments throughout the nation typically resell or commerce of their previous firearms to fund new gear. This apply can save taxpayers substantial quantities of cash. For example, if a division trades in 1,000 weapons at an estimated resale worth of $200 every, this might generate $200,000, which can be utilized to offset the price of new, extra superior gear. This apply can save taxpayers vital cash, as highlighted by the potential $200,000 financial savings. These transactions are authorized and managed, performed by means of licensed sellers who observe federal laws, together with background checks.
Regulated Gross sales: The weapons are bought by means of licensed sellers who should adhere to strict federal legal guidelines. This ensures that the gross sales are above-board and the weapons will not be instantly out there to criminals. The narrative that these gross sales are a big supply of weapons for criminals ignores these safeguards.
Anti-Gun Agenda
Coordinated Efforts: Organizations like Everytown for Gun Security and The Hint, funded by Michael Bloomberg, have a transparent agenda to advertise stricter gun management. By specializing in police gun resales, they purpose to sway public opinion in favor of extra regulation. Their experiences typically conveniently omit the truth that stolen weapons, together with stolen police surplus weapons and unlawful trafficking, are the first sources of weapons that violent criminals use.
Public Notion: The constant emphasis on the hazards of police gun resales is simply an try and create a skewed public notion. This could result in requires pointless regulation, diverting consideration from extra vital sources of unlawful firearms.
Don’t Fall for the Media Lies
Labeling the media protection as “gaslighting” is likely to be harsh, however there’s a clear sample of sensationalism and selective reporting. By emphasizing uncommon circumstances and omitting broader context, CBS and related retailers contribute to a deceptive narrative. The information exhibits that police gun resales are a minor consider general crime, and these gross sales present important funding for legislation enforcement. Recognizing the affect of anti-gun teams in shaping this narrative is essential for a balanced understanding of the difficulty.
Sources
Everytown Analysis & Coverage: Everytown Analysis
Crime Gun Intelligence Middle Initiative: CGIC
OPB (Oregon Public Broadcasting): Portland Crime Charges Dropped in 2023
Ocala-Information.com: Crime in Ocala, Florida
The proof means that whereas police gun resales will not be with out minor points, their contribution to crime is minimal as in comparison with different sources of unlawful firearms.
About Tred Legislation
Tred Legislation is your on a regular basis patriot with a deep love for this nation and a no-compromise strategy to the Second Modification. He doesn’t write articles for Ammoland each week, however when he does write, it’s normally about liberals Fing along with his proper to maintain and bear arms.
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