(from a 2001 press release)
Second Amendment Sisters (SAS) Reacts to the "Gun Stoppers" Program and the "ASK Program"
Austin, TX -According to a Pittsburgh Tribune-Review article by David Conti, dated Friday, August 24, 2001, "Local residents can get $125 or more by calling 911 to report people they believe are carrying weapons without a license, under a new program unveiled Thursday by Pittsburgh police." Gun Stoppers, which is paid for with a Federal grant, "...asks for residents to call police with the location and description of people they believe are carrying guns. In return, 911 operators will give the caller a secret code." This "secret code" will enable the caller to collect their bounty money later.
In searching for information on the "Gun Stoppers" Program on the Internet, we discovered that this has been linked with the "Crime Stoppers" programs in many areas. While anonymous information on crimes ALREADY COMMITTED may be a good way to help solve some crimes, SAS feels that this so-called "Gun Stoppers" program is fraught with problems.
Some problems arise because they are really asking people to TURN IN ANYONE they suspect is carrying a gun, since the ordinary citizen cannot determine if the gun owner is carrying legally or illegally. This can set up the scenario where the police are busy pointing their guns at innocent, law-abiding, concealed carry license holders more often than not.
There are also numerous ways that criminals can use this program to their advantage, either as a distraction tactic or as a way of determining if a victim they are stalking is armed or not. We also cannot discount the possibility of "revenge" calls. Also, will the innocent victim of the tipster have any recourse after having to go through such an ordeal as having police treat them as criminals and possibly confiscate their legally held firearm?
This program is an insult to all gun owners as it categorizes all gun owners as "potential criminals" Most chilling are the last two sentences of the Conti article, "In April, the ATF conducted a training session for more than 250 city and school police officers on how to identify someone who is carrying a gun illegally. "They are trained for certain things to look for...certain mannerisms and things people do when they're carrying a gun," (Pittsburgh Police Chief Robert W.) McNeilly said."....
Second Amendment Sisters is a grassroots organization dedicated to preserving the individual basic human right to self-defense.
Maria Heil
National Press Coordinator
Spokesperson
Second Amendment Sisters
877-797-4857
www.2asisters.org