California Police Chiefs Association Calls for Firearms Microstamping Study

[mrreynolds]

In a recent letter to California Attorney General Edmund G. Brown, the California Police Chiefs Association (CPCA) expressed concern over the "hasty implementation" of firearms microstamping in California and called for further in-depth study of the technology before it is implemented by law in California.

In the letter, CPCA Acting President Susan E. Manheimer wrote, "There are too many unanswered questions with microstamping in its current iteration" and raised concerns that "statements about the capabilities of microstamping may have been technologically premature." In 2007, CPCA supported legislation (AB 1471) to require firearms microstamping in California.

"We appreciate the California Police Chiefs Association call for further study of the technology," said NSSF President Steve Sanetti. "Clearly, concerns over the reliability of firearms microstamping are continuing to grow, especially within the law enforcement community."

Firearms microstamping is the process by which firearms manufacturers would have to micro laser-engrave a gun's make, model and serial number on two distinct parts of each gun, including the firing pin, so that in theory the information would be imprinted on the cartridge casing when the pistol is fired. Legislation mandating microstamping in California was signed into law in 2007 by Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger (R-Calif.) and was slated to take effect this New Year's Day (2010); however, since the technology remains encumbered by patents it cannot be certified by the California Department of Justice and therefore has not been implemented.

The letter continues, "We support further research of microstamping in light of the new information that has surfaced since California passage of the legislation. Publicly available, peer-reviewed studies conducted by independent research organizations conclude that the technology does not function reliably and that criminals can remove the markings easily in mere seconds. We believe that these findings require examination prior to implementation." The CPCA also expressed concerns over implementing the technology during a very difficult budget environment and the negative impact on law enforcement budgets which are already under significant pressure.

Members of the firearms industry, through the National Shooting Sports Foundation (NSSF) the industry's trade association have long supported further study of microstamping since legislation was first introduced in California.

"As many in law enforcement now recognize, independent research has demonstrated the technological failures of firearms microstamping and the need for further study," said NSSF Senior Vice President and General Counsel Lawrence G. Keane. "Understanding this fact, and taking into account the current fiscal crisis in California, we anticipate more groups will follow the CPCA lead and rethink support for this unreliable and easily defeated technology."

[LINK]

[DefensiveCarry.com]

[goawayfarm]

Dumb law.....but if Calif. wants the law, then ALL California law enforcement agencies should have to get 'approved' weapons for carry while on duty!......Oh, that won't work! Nobody makes any compliant weapons yet! I guess they'll have to carry slingshots.......

[sniper58]

Dumb law.....but if Calif. wants the law, then ALL California law enforcement agencies should have to get 'approved' weapons for carry while on duty!......Oh, that won't work! Nobody makes any compliant weapons yet! I guess they'll have to carry slingshots.......

Why not, Tijuana isn't that far away.....

[bsnow]

Don't forget sticks as a BUG oh, I guess that would be a BUS. LEFT Coast crap.

[wmhawth]

Hopefully the light of some sanity will shine on this idiotic idea before poor California gets saddled with another crazy gun law.

[retsupt99]

What's so difficult for the CA legislators to understand...they have to also make a law making it illegal for anyone to remove the micro-stamping device...

[oneshot]

Dumb law.....but if Calif. wants the law, then ALL California law enforcement agencies should have to get 'approved' weapons for carry while on duty!......Oh, that won't work! Nobody makes any compliant weapons yet! I guess they'll have to carry slingshots.......

HA HA HA HA!!!^^^^^^^

Hopefully the light of some sanity will shine on this idiotic idea before poor California gets saddled with another crazy gun law.

Hopefully^^^^^^^^^^^^

What's so difficult for the CA legislators to understand...they have to also make a law making it illegal for anyone to remove the micro-stamping device...

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Yeah, because we all know the thugs would'nt do anything if it was illegal, just honest folks would !!



"Far better to keep your mouth shut and let everyone think you're stupid than to open it and leave no doubt."

[msgt/ret]

I wonder about the durability of micro-stamping, would the firing pin have to be replaced after XX number of rounds? After all the dies used to stamp coins have a limited lifespan before they have to be refinished or replaced and they are subjected to high pressures like a firing pin is, also any dirt or grease on the die reduces the quality of the impression.

[Eagleks]

well, maybe they'll listen to the LEO's of their state.

[BurgDog]

The law will serve its real purpose - add something else to the list of things that will eventually make legal gun ownership so onerous that nobody bothers to legally obtain a gun. I strongly doubt anybody expects this law will make any measurable contribution to public safety.

[UncleDannie]

California Legislators are, by and large, corrupt and pass laws based upon the highest bidders. Some company that manufactures the microstamp may well be behind this law. California has been and will continue to be a State bent on outlawing all private ownership of guns in general, and handguns in particular. All that is required to stop this, is for the common man to raise up and vote the crooks out of office. It is my belief that in the upcoming elections, the word 'incumbent' is a code word to vote that office seeker out of office.

[ccw9mm]

... expressed concern over the "hasty implementation" of firearms microstamping in California and called for further in-depth study of the technology before it is implemented by law in California.

What a thought: to determine the veracity and viability of something before it's pushed on the people. But then, penny "pinching" has evolved to a high art form. Why change now?

[BigStick]

Wow, they are actually going to have to admit that they passed a law based on technology/science that hasn't been proven yet? I would have thought that before you pass a law requiring technology to be implimented, it would actually be available.

But I guess logic and reason never stopped the liberals from passing any law. (reminiscent of global warming maybe???)

[BurgDog]

Good luck on voting them out. Voters living off government largess (aka liberals) are moving to California en mass from Mexico and voters who are tasked for paying for all this (aka conservatives) are leaving in droves to other states.

[GunGeezer]

It never ceases to amaze me how law makers refuse to recognize the simple, basic concept that criminals don't follow laws, and most of their so called public safety laws serve merely to criminalize law abiding citizens. I doubt it will happen but they need to be voted out of office and get real jobs, the ultimate reality check.