The state’s new gun-control law didn’t specifically exclude police officers from the new limit of seven bullets to a magazine, raising concern from police groups.
But Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s office said that a exemption in a prior law remains on the books, and no police officer is in violation of the new law.
“No police officer possessing ammunition clips with more than 7 bullets is in violation of the law or guilty of any crime, period,” said Cuomo spokesman Matt Wing.
The state Legislature next week is expected to make some minor amendments to the bill to clarify the exemption for police officers.
Still, police groups said they were concerned about the new law’s language and said they would work with lawmakers to get clarification.
“While it is clearly in the best interest of NYC police officers and the general public to keep assault weapons out of wrong hands, there is a serious flaw in this law that runs counter to the safety interests of the public and police officers,” the New York City Patrolmen’s Benevolent Association said in a statement yesterday. “It is our belief that the failure to include a law enforcement exemption was an unintentional oversight brought on by the urgent need to take action in light of the Sandy Hook tragedy.”
Susan Lerner, executive director of Common Cause, told the Times Union she would like an amendment to narrow the ability of permit holders to opt out of having their information disclosed publicly. The opt-out clause was approved in response to the Journal News, a Gannett Co. Inc. publication, which publishes the names and addresses of pistol-permit holders in Westchester and Rockland counties.
“It’s really an opt-out invitation. This is exactly backwards,” Lerner told the paper. “The way this is set up, there is a presumption against disclosure, which is an unfortunate precedent which we’re concerned will spread to other categories of public information.”
3 Comments
Matt Wing makes laws now? I didnt know a spokesman had that kind of power.
Where’s Monica Lewinsky or Ashley Dupre when you need her?!
On March 10, 2008, The New York Times reported that New York Democrat Governor Eliot Spitzer had patronized an elite escort service run by Emperors Club VIP. The ensuing scandal led to Spitzer’s resignation as Governor on March 17.
What do the shootings of Gabby Giffords in Arizona, at Sandy Hook, and Aurora Colorado have in common?
In each case, the killer was a highly intelligent young man, with KNOWN mental health issues. In each case there was known reason to have these men committed. Holmes out in Colorado had been under the care of a professor who had reported him to campus police for his violent fantasies, Loughner in AZ. had multiple restraining orders due to his insanity, and Lanza was known to have issues his entire life.
This just goes to show that it is not necessary to take away the rights of law abiding folks, in order to stop these types of shootings. These men were obviously mentally ill, and had no business being on the streets at the time. Had there been proper action, these tragedies would have been averted. Yes, Sandy Hook would have never happened, had Adam Lanza’s mother been allowed to have her son institutionalized, as she was attempting.
It’s not about the guns or the number of bullets, it is about the poor state of our mental healthcare system, that lets these people loose on the streets. Until this is addressed, the violence WILL continue, regardless of how many rights are taken from the public.
Lets see who’s been taking these drugs instead of going after gun owners that have done NOTHING !!!
Antidepressant Side Effects Reported to the FDA: There have been 124,320 Adverse Drug Reactions in connection with antidepressants that have been reported to the FDA’s Adverse Event Reporting System (MedWatch), between 2004 and 2011.
By the FDA’s own admission, only 1-10% of side effects are ever reported to the FDA, so the actual number of side effects occurring are most certainly higher.
These include:
13,642 cases of suicidal ideation/behavior (completed suicides, suicide attempts)
11,508 cases of withdrawal symptoms
7,553 cases of anxiety
6,786 cases of depression
4,530 cases of agitation
3,588 cases of aggression
2,872 cases of birth defects
2,676 case of hallucinations
1,649 cases of self-harm (self-injurious ideation/behavior)
1,247 cases of death/sudden death
1,122 cases of amania
797 cases of sexual dysfunction
733 cases of coma
546 cases of diabetes
511 cases of homicidal ideation
328 cases of hostility
265 cases of physical assault
212 cases of homicide
94 cases of violence-related symptoms
82 cases of stillbirths
46 cases of psychosis