CA Police Chief: 'A Gun Is not a Defensive Weapon - That Is a Myth'

It's an offensive weapon 'used to intimidate and show power'

California Police Chief Ken James has faced derision on the right for asserting that "a gun is not a defensive weapon."

"One issue that always boggles my mind is that the idea that a gun is a defensive weapon,"James said. "That is a myth. A gun is not a defensive weapon...A gun is an offensive weapon used to intimidate and show power," he said.

He added, "if it was a defensive measure, why did we lose 55 officers nationwide last year to gun violence? And unfortunately, in just the two months of this year so far, we have lost two officers to gun violence in the state of California alone...We are asking and have been asking for reasonable regulations, not that are going to impact the legal gun owner."

The regulations he supports include a ban on assault weapons and high capacity magazines, and universal background checks.

James's words carry special weight because he's not only the Police Chief of Emeryville, CA - he's also the Police Chief Association's Firearms Committee Chairman. He was talking at a press conference about gun laws with CA legislators.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kdqWI8HCNf8

Via the Washington Examiner.

Do you agree that a gun is an offensive - not a defensive - weapon?

[Slowmo]

What an idiot! The purpose of a gun is defined by the person holding it. OMG these people are stoopid!!

[Jackie312gm]

I like to see A--hole...... try to stop an armed criminal with out his service firearm.

[marine1]

@Jackie312gm I'm confused, would that be a defensive or offensive action. It's so hard to keep up with these people and their flipant thought process

[Jackie312gm]

@marine1 process thought flipant now i'm confused. The rational few see right through the BS..ers.

[marine1]

@Jackie312gm maybe we are both just trying to say he is a lying sack of excrement?

[Jackie312gm]

@marine1 i hear you.

[DARSB]

He makes an interesting distinction. Probably not persuasive, but interesting. I don't know enough about this to vote but I'm going to follow this discussion closely.

[GunPolitics]

What do you need to know? Not sarcasm - firearms are tools - their purpose depends on what the intent of their user is.

[Leftofliberal]

With LaPierre broadcasting lies about Hurricane Sandy in a disgusting attempt to ferment both racism and promote the need for protection any sense of reality had disappeared. He's got the parotid gun freaks lathered up and frothing in a frenzy.

http://www.nydailynews.com/new-york/nra-boss-...

[DARSB]

@GunPolitics My first instinct was to take the same intention-defines posture you just articulated, but I have learned from some very patient posters here (props to @Medicinebow for his tutelage) that there's just a bunch I don't know and it's foolish to weigh in on subjects where what I don't know could fill largish warehouse.

[GunPolitics]

@DARSB fair enough - if you would like drop me a pm or email

[earl]

@Leftofliberal The gun owners of America are not "paranoid." Nor are they freaks, they are responsible, ordinary citizens who want to protect their families, hunt or target practice or collect guns as a hobby or sell them. Where is the racism or lies in Mr. La Pierre's broadcast? I certainly saw neither.

[earl]

A gun can be both defensive and offensive but the overwhelming majority of guns in America are for defensive purposes. California? Of course!

[marine1]

the sign behind him says, stop the gun violence, NOT the gun. apparently,like his brethren,he can't read or does not understand.

[earl]

@marine1 Agreed. He is a fool who does not understand the reason that the Founding Fathers amended the Constitution, right behind the First Amendment.

[marine1]

@earl He understands, as do all the others, they just do not have a clue when it comes to dealing with reality.

[spiritglove]

I agree, this guy may believe that Washington is the only image on a quarter also, you know narrow minds see only one side of the coin

[RedFloppyShoes]

It's California. I have lived there 3 times and they get more stupid every time.

[PoliticalSpice]

Well it seems a cause and effect type of thing. You go there; the state gets stupider. Maybe if you stopped going there california would be smarter...

[RedFloppyShoes]

@PoliticalSpice and your pithy response proved what?

[PoliticalSpice]

@RedFloppyShoes That it's hard for me to resist temptation when it's presented on a silver platter...

[RedFloppyShoes]

@PoliticalSpice congrats. You accomplished nothing. Good job.

[PoliticalSpice]

@RedFloppyShoes And you consider your post to have accomplished something? What precisely was that?

[seedtick]

He's just part of the liberal hypster bunch. I keep my gun handy for defensive purposes. However, he is right about one thing. If someone attempts to harm me or my family or my property, my first action will be defensive....but, if that fails, I will likely use my gun as an offensive weapon to eliminate the threat.

[PoliticalSpice]

You consider a cop a hipster? Now how square is that?

[seedtick]

@PoliticalSpice Go back and re-read my post...I did not say "hipster."

[Vance1]

California Police Chief Ken James , is a typical cop, Like democrats Cops hate when a family can protect itself and not need the "Oh save us" Police, who are always minutes late to assist a family.

[marine1]

If he were truthfull. he would be tne first person to tell you that the police can not protect you from immediate harm.

[Vance1]

@marine1
Amen!! you can tell that he is a democrat and part of the anti gun crowd.

[marine1]

@Vance1 I was a police chief and never would you have heard me make a phony ass statement like this.

[Vance1]

@marine1
Yes when I was a MI Sheriffs deputy, I used to tell battered women, To buy themselves a handgun.

[marine1]

@Vance1 can't say i ever made statements like that, too much liability could be attached. Might have thought it but wasn;t going to say it. call me chicken:-)

[miketost]

What would you expect its California.Times have changed,during the Rodney King street festival of the early 90s the LAPD warned citizens and store owners they were on there own protect yourself the best you can.A gun was the best then same as now.

[Thunderchicken]

The best defense is a good offense. This goes for driving also. :-)

[Roco]

Not trying to argue but why do

[Thunderchicken]

@Roco

???

You do realize that I was joking.

[Roco]

@Thunderchicken Yeah. Wasn't fully comprehending at the time.

[Slowmo]

If its purpose were to "intimidate and show power" wouldn't every concealed carry person say, "We'll this thing is useless since they make us keep it under our shirt.". Dude knows what he's saying is BS. Wonder what he got in exchange for his integrity.

[earl]

The Chief is speaking before the California Legislature, a bunch of Democratic, left wing loons. No wonder he is spreading the BS.

[Slowmo]

@earl it's infuriating to me to watch someone get up there and try to mislead as many American people as he can. And it's infuriating to know that there are other members of our government who support the effort and only do so to push personal agendas at the cost of our constitutional rights as if they have the authority to do so.

[earl]

@Slowmo The overwhelming majority of the approximately 200 million guns in America are in gun safes or in dresser drawers and aren't even taken outside. How can they be offensive? The Chief is dangerous, he is in a position of authority and either is ignorant or pandering to the extreme left. He should read the Second Amendment for the reason people own guns.

[Fishbone345]

@Slowmo "And it's infuriating to know that there are other members of our government who support the effort and only do so to push personal agendas at the cost of our constitutional rights as if they have the authority to do so. "
Like Dubyah did in all his speeches supporting the Patriot Act? Or any other GOP member that spoke up about passing NDAA 12?
Or do you only defend one Amendment so vehemently? Never mind, I know the answer to this one.

[Slowmo]

@Fishbone345 haha dude I didn't say anything about party lines. Go pick a fight with someone else.

[mwr]

and i plan to be on the offense if you enter my home or theathen my family :)

[sittinduck]

This is the dumbest thing I've heard lately. If a gun Is not a defensive weapon why do the police caring them with the pretense of protecting the public?
Just more liberal bullshit!!

[marine1]

this is the results of a society that lessons acountibility,restricts responsibility and denies morality.

[sittinduck]

@marine1 I agree!!

[Politic-n]

My first response exactly when I read the headline!

[Politic-n]

Well said!

[stepped_in_it]

" why did we lose 55 officers nationwide last year to gun violence? " Because LEO's are out gunned by the criminals! Maybe, just maybe....if you and your storm troopers would do their J O B....we wouldn't need guns. Until then, my guns will be offensive, defensive and ALL-fensive. Now, get off your lazy A S S and do your J O B!

[Libertyiskey]

So by his logic cops aren't here to defend us, they're here to "offend" us.

[marine1]

He's wrong, A gun is nothing more or less than what a person makes of it. It can be used for defense, offense,fun or to put food on your table. the problem is, has been and always will be the person that makes the decission as to what to do with the gun. This police chief like so many others has no idea how to deal with those who mis-use it and in his denial,he chooses to blame the gun. Because they can not deter the behavior of those who abuse it, they choose to penalize those who do not deserve it. The fact that this is how they choose to combat the situation only exaggerates their inccompetence.

[keyfitter]

Unbelievable. What a moronic load of B.S. If I have a bunch of subhumans kicking down the doors at my house , you can bet I would want to show power by firing
into them.

Maybe this moronic excuse for a LEO thinks that subhumans will tremble at homeowners who threaten to call the police.

[Fishbone345]

Good, enough about Rubio's water. Lets get back to guns, the bread and butter of Politix.
Mary....=P

[Art]

I voted that I agree with the Chief. The question is posed incorrectly. A gun is NOT a defensive weapon in the hands of a California police officer. It is a weapon to intimidate.
In the hands of a citizen, it is absolutely a defensive weapon.
The question I would like to propound to the Chief is this: If a gun is not a defensive weapon, why do the police carry them?

[izzywee]

It is wrong for the ex police officer to have killed innocent individuals, if true. But, a gun is both. If you have to defend yourself, it is defensive, hunting is offensive. LAPD racist.

[Russell797]

Even in the case of home invasion, you can not use the gun on the perpetrator except to meet him with like force. Only if you are threatened with a gun can you use a gun. You have no right to shoot or kill the invader if your life is not directly and immediately threatened. You can threaten the invader with the gun, but you can not use it unless you are threatened with life taking force.

[FollowTheMoney]

Good example of legal and illegal having little to do with right and wrong.

[AlexMIA]

Maybe in California. In states that have their heads screwed on right if someone invades your home and poses a threat, you do not have to match with like force. They're in your home, they poses a threat, you put them down. You don't need to play the odds in your own home. What if a perpetrator has a foot and 50-80lbs. on you? Or what if he or she is concealing a knife? No! You put them down right and proper.

[Medicinebow]

I find Castle Doctrine laws to be good laws. I can tell you in no uncertain terms anyone (or anything in the case of our area bears) that comes in to my home uninvited will be met with force. I'm not interested in meeting someone with "like" force. I want the upper hand in any type of home invasion. I have every right to shoot a home invader and would do so.

[AlexMIA]

@Medicinebow That's right, and make sure you're skilled enough to kill within those first two or three shots before they fall. There are some nuttie places that have given criminals the right to suit victims for injuries and medical expenses believe it or not.

[Russell797]

@AlexMIA Pitty the poor alzhiemer's victim who stumbles into your home in the middle of the night.

[KyleMFb]

Well what he said is true you "use" a gun to kill or intimidate...flashing a gun is an offensive action although it has defensive purposes so I'm split...