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Unbelievably, Virginia Beach Police Chief Jake Jacocks, Jr., speaking for the state association of the chiefs of police, has asked Governor McDonnell to veto SB 334, the restaurant ban repeal, because guns in bars would be a "recipe for disaster."
Hmmm. The only people that the bill allows to mix guns and alcohol are police officers (on duty, off duty, and retired) and Commonwealth Attorneys and their deputies. So it sounds like Chief Jacocks is afraid of his own officers carrying guns and being able to drink responsibly. That's a sad commentary on his department and the other departments that are backing this position. I wonder if these chiefs prohibit their officers from driving cars to restaurants, too?
I've said it before and I'll say it again: a whole lot of chiefs of police are nothing more than political hacks that did not work their way up through the ranks and don't share the beliefs of their rank and file officers on such matters.
Also, the Sheriff's Association did NOT share the bogus concerns of the Chiefs.
I personally don't donate to the Fraternal Order of Police for their past and current interference with our gun rights and I also have no intention of contributing to anything from the Association of Chiefs of Police, either, for the same reason. The Sheriffs Association doesn't pull this kind of baloney.
The good news is that according to the article, the Governor is going to stand strong and sign the bill:
"McDonnell will sign the bill, said Taylor Thornley, the governor's spokeswoman. While McDonnell appreciates the work and comments of the police chiefs, he will 'continue to protect and uphold the Second Amendment rights of law-abiding citizens,' Thornley said."
Here is the story:
State's police chiefs seek veto of guns-in-bars bill
By Deirdre Fernandes
The Virginian-Pilot
© March 17, 2010
VIRGINIA BEACH
Calling guns in bars a "recipe for disaster," the state's police chiefs have
pleaded with Gov. Bob McDonnell to veto legislation that would ease Virginia's
concealed weapon laws.
Virginia Beach police Chief Jake Jacocks Jr. sent a letter to McDonnell last
week on behalf of the state association of chiefs comparing the combination of
firearms and alcohol with drinking and driving.
"We can fully expect that at some point in the future a disagreement that
today would likely end up in a verbal confrontation, or a bar fight, will
inevitably end with gunfire if you sign this legislation into law," Jacocks
wrote.
SB334's requirement that anybody with a gun is prohibited from drinking and
could be charged with a misdemeanor is "absurd," Jacocks said, and can't be
enforced. [PVC: In that case, perhaps we need to just get rid of the penalty altogether or make it a civil fine.]
On Tuesday, Jacocks got support from Virginia Beach Mayor Will Sessoms, a
McDonnell supporter and gun owner.
"Not only is it stupid," Sessoms said, "I think it could be a fatal mistake."
But their efforts seem unlikely to sway McDonnell.
McDonnell will sign the bill, said Taylor Thornley, the governor's
spokeswoman. While McDonnell appreciates the work and comments of the police
chiefs, he will "continue to protect and uphold the Second Amendment rights of
law-abiding citizens," Thornley said.
The bill deals only with concealed weapons; in Virginia it's legal to carry a
gun openly without a permit.
SB334 and its House counterpart, along with legislation that allows gun owners
without concealed-carry permits to store firearms in locked vehicle
compartments, were among the gun-friendly bills approved by the General
Assembly this year. The Democratic-controlled Senate formed a special
subcommittee late in the session to kill several gun-rights bills, including a
repeal of the state's one-handgun-purchase-a-month limit.
The police chiefs association has opposed the guns in bars bill in the past,
but it also had a more sympathetic ear. Former Democratic Gov. Timothy M.
Kaine twice vetoed such bills.
The Virginia Association of Chiefs of Police didn't come out strongly against
the bills during the session because it was spread too thin trying to preserve
state funding for police departments, said Dana Schrad, the organization's
executive director. [PVC: Life does have its priorities ;-) ]
"We didn't duck and cover on this one," Schrad said. "We had to prioritize on
budget issues."
The Virginia Sheriffs' Association, the other large law-enforcement lobby in
the General Assembly, did not take a stand on the legislation, said John
Jones, the organization's executive director.
"No, we're not going down that road," Jones said.
But association members recently did vote on a resolution supporting Second
Amendment rights, Jones said.
Jacocks and Schrad did acknowledge that the letter was a last-ditch effort.
"It was important to let him know directly how we felt about this issue,"
Jacocks said.
If police across Virginia see an increase in gun violence at bars, the
association will come back and ask the General Assembly to reconsider its
decision, Schrad said. [PVC: Or course any such violence would have to be unjustified and perpetrated by CHP holders, police, or Commonwealth Attorneys. Even then, that is why we have laws - to punish bad people, not to punish the good ones.]
Statistics on gun-related incidents at establishments with liquor licenses
were not available Tuesday. [PVC: Again, unless they deal with CHP holders acting unlawfully, such statistics are irrelevant.]