Defensive Carry banner

MA Police Chief makes own laws. refuses to renew legally held firearms licenses.

4K views 5 replies 5 participants last post by  FortyFive 
#1 ·
Here is the article, followed by an email I sent to the mayor of the city. I couldn't find an email for the chief, so I thought I would write his boss and chew him out a little. Hope you enjoy.

_____________________________________________________________________________
Police Chief Makes Own Law, Refuses to Renew Firearms Licenses
Outdoor Message | 2/24/05

On February 7, more than 140 residents of Quincy, MA, turned out at city hall for a special hearing of the City Council’s Committee on Public Safety regarding Chief Crowley’s firearms license policies… the meeting began with an initial presentation by the chief, and questioning by members of the Public Safety Committee…(the chief – new to the town -- has caused an uproar in Quincy over simply refusing to renew firearms licenses ‘because I say so…’)

The police chief did not do himself any favors. He refused to answer direct questions and instead answered questions no one had asked…

The chief noted that the town had renewed licenses from 94% of the applicants over the past three years, adding that, “I could have filed criminal charges against 20 of the applicants… but gave them the benefit of the doubt…’

Chief Crowley, less than one year in his position, continually challenged reasons people gave for wanting to renew LTCs. “Carrying a gun does not make people safe.” “Give me a reason you need it.” “I’m not just going to give you a license.” “This is a fallacy that having a gun will make you safe.” “People are under the misconception that carrying a gun will make you safe…”

After indicating that he does not trust citizens to handle their own defense, he then admitted that “police can’t be everywhere,” which brought laughter and applause from the audience…

Under questioning, the chief admitted that only half of the licenses given or renewed were issued for “all lawful purposes” (which is required under the state’s enabling gun licensing legislation), and he said he did not have any statistics on how many people who had had an ALP license he had unilaterally downgraded (to such as “target and hunting ONLY…” )

A city council member asked the chief if he would issue an LTC to a woman in a domestic violence situation assuming the woman had a clean record and no mental health issues. The chief replied, “I can’t answer that, I have to go to specifics… the level of fear she had…”

The chief boasted he was not an “easy mark”… “I really investigate. I check your employment. I check where you live…”

The public then spoke for an hour. Many people testified to the arbitrary nature of the chief’s LTC denials. One woman said her husband was turned-down because at some time in the past he had lost a rented video and the store complained (he had reimbursed the store but the chief considered him a disqualified criminal and ineligible for an LTC…)

Another man testified that his license was renewed for “employment” rather than “all lawful purposes.” When he told the chief he was not happy with the downgrade and allegedly threw the license at the dispatcher. The chief then revoked the LTC on the spot, called the man’s employer. The man was subsequently fired from his job. The man then hired a lawyer who demanded a copy of the tape from the police station, but the chief reported the tape was “unavailable.” When the lawyer protested that if the situation had been serious, why hadn’t the tape been saved, he got no answer…

A shooting club president then identified all the places where the chief’s behavior would fail the “capricious and arbitrary” test in the courts, and a member of the Pink Pistols noted that gays suffer a high number of attacks. A member of the Gun Owners Action League testified to the high number of complaints they had received about this chief. Another man said that the chief refused to give him an ALP renewal after refusing to meet with him. A final speaker told the meeting that residents demanded to be treated with respect and to have the ability to defend themselves. The issue had gone an hour over the allotted time for this meeting…

A councilor ended the hearing by noting that he was sure a solution could be found and another meeting is expected on this issue…

______________________________________________________________________________


This is the email I sent the mayor of the city.

____________________________________________________________________________
Hello Mr. Mayor, my name is **(S.O.I)**. I am writing you regarding Chief Crowley and his blatant disregard for the rights guaranteed to the people of this country by the 2nd Amendment of the United States Constitution. I have been reading up on the Chief and the way he has denied the issuance of firearms licenses to the people in your city, and it disgust me. How can you allow a subordinate of yours to treat the people of your city in this manner? Chief Crowley sure as hell doesn't speak for law enforcement when he says that "guns don't make people safer". What an outright blatent lie. Why do he and his officers carry firearms if they can't help make anyone safer? If he truly believes that, then he needs to get rid of his firearms and use the English style of law enforcement. Perhaps one of the citizens whose rights he is violating will come to his aid when he blows his whistle. As a Peace Officer myself, I find it hard to believe that this man is responsible for the safety of the citizens of your town.

Was it you who hired this man, or the city council, or a combination of both? Whoever was responsible, sure dropped the ball. In case you were unaware, a police chief is not a high paid high profile suit and tie desk jockey who sits around looking pretty, he is a police officer. You may want to remind him of that because it's pretty obvious that he doesn't know it. And you may want to remind him that it's not his job to decide what's best for other people's lives, it is his job to enforce the law, and that is it.

You might want to keep in mind that the people who were refused issuance of their legally owned firearms license, probably won't vote for the man/men responsible for allowing him to walk all over them. I sure wouldn't vote for a mayor who sat idly by and let a chief treat me in this manner.

Is there an email address that I can reach Chief Crowley? If so, I would very much like to have it so I can tell him how disappointed other law enforcement officers all over this country are in him.

Thank you for your time,
Sincerely, **(S.O. Interceptor)**
____________________________________________________________________________
 
See less See more
#2 ·
I wonder how many of those types are out there as Police Chiefs, Police Commisioners, Sheriffs and others that have the ability to enforce their own agenda and nonexistant laws? I will fire off an email to the mayor as well....
 
#3 ·
Most chiefs in MA have this attitude and the Mass Chiefs Assn (MCOPA) helps bolster their cause. However, due to political pressures, most chiefs still grudgingly issue the LTC (mandatory to even possess a handgun in the home).

More later . . . I have to head out now to blast some ammo, and I might get an update on this situation since the players on our side will be at the club when I get there.
 
#4 ·
Great Thread!

Does anybody remember the one story of the police chief that had a damn stamp made up in Latin?
On every permit he issued he stamped it "UNDER PROTEST" in Latin. :mad:
What state did THAT happen in? Anybody here remember?

Sounds to me like a trip to the Mass State Supreme Court is in order.
 
#5 ·
QKShooter said:
Does anybody remember the one story of the police chief that had a damn stamp made up in Latin?
On every permit he issued he stamped it "UNDER PROTEST" in Latin. :mad:
What state did THAT happen in? Anybody here remember?

Sounds to me like a trip to the Mass State Supreme Court is in order.
I remember that, I just can't remember who it was doing it. Actually, it seems to me that the guy with the stamp was further south.
 
#6 · (Edited)
Its a dam shame these pepole can't be sent up for trial by the FEDS for interfering with our rights as Americans. They do damage to our people and the American way of life. The problem is it takes money to overcome these people and their terrible deeds against Americans.
Sorry for the rant, I could bite nails at times like these.
 
This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
Top