Police getting more firepower

Police getting more firepower

www.boston. com

The Boston Police Department is preparing a plan to arm as many as 200 patrol officers with semiautomatic assault rifles, a significant boost in firepower that department leaders believe is necessary to counter terrorist threats, according to law enforcement officials briefed on the plan.

The initiative calls for equipping specialized units, such as the bomb squad and harbor patrol, with the high-powered long-range M16 rifles first, the officials said. The department would then distribute the weapons to patrol officers in neighborhood precincts over the next several months, according to the

(visit the link for the full news article)

Isn't it scary how all our Police departments around the country are getting more and more militarised under the guise of "to fight terrorism"!

"The M16 rifle is a standard, military-issue weapon distributed to US armed forces. It can be used in the field by soldiers with a fully automatic function, operating as a machine-gun, but the Boston proposal is to arm them the weapons for semiautomatic operation."

I will feel so much more safe knowing some adrenaline junky cop is coming to protect me with a semi-auto rifle. Haven't the police around the country killed (murdered) enough people just with their tazers and pistols!

I have seen post here where departments are getting tanks with 50 cal. machine guns mounted on them. It will be a matter of time until our police departments will have military aircraft with laser guided weaponry.

www.boston. com
(visit the link for the full news article)

[edit on 29-5-2009 by Mudman21]

The M16 cannot be fired in an automatic mode. There are only single shot and semi automatic.

Besides I don't know why they would want to go to the M16. They certainly aren't gaining any stopping power. 5.56 mm is pretty much a 22 caliber.

The only reason I see them using this is for the range when engagedin a fire fight. Other then that they might as well go to Big Dicks and buy regular 22 rifles.


edit for the grammer I caught.

[edit on 29-5-2009 by jd140]

On the bright side.. there sure will be a lot of rifles lying around once/if the SHTF.

Also.. up until the a2 revision.. the M16 was indeed capable of fully automatic fire. AFAIK

It states in the article that they would go with a semi-auto M16, so the article was written obviously by someone who doesn't know their weaponry. A semi-auto M16 is more or less an AR15 depending on its make and configuration. The grain on an 5.56 is a bit more than a .22 calibre and has a much higher velocity. If I am not mistaken, the right ammo in 5.56 will penetrate a bullet proof vest and will go through car doors, thin metal doors, walls, etc.

Nice idea. The one group that is totally out of control already gets more toys to play with. Why not give them bazookas while you're at it? from me.

reply to post by Mudman21


5.56/.223 is not ideal for engaging targets who are using cars for cover, you are far better off with a 7.62/.308 type round as it will punch clean through the door and anybody behind it for the most part. As for vests most good IIIA level body armor will stop a 5.56 round, so its not going to be enough to shoot an armored target just once with the gun.

Originally posted by Mudman21
It states in the article that they would go with a semi-auto M16, so the article was written obviously by someone who doesn't know their weaponry. A semi-auto M16 is more or less an AR15 depending on its make and configuration. The grain on an 5.56 is a bit more than a .22 calibre and has a much higher velocity. If I am not mistaken, the right ammo in 5.56 will penetrate a bullet proof vest and will go through car doors, thin metal doors, walls, etc.

For all intents and purposes the M16 is a .22, like you said the velocity is higher. That gives it its range. It certainly isn't ranked in the top 20 in civilian and military weapons when it comes to stopping power.

www.armystudyguide.com...


That is a link to the types of ammo for the M16. You won't find any ammo that is more dangerous then the average American can't purchase.

Good God

And our UK police have truncheons

I suppose shooting individual protesters can get tiresome, just spray them with a clip instead, problem solved.

I wonder who facilitates these gun contracts? Is it Haliburton & Cheney?

Many police departments are already armed with Ruger Mini-14's in .223/5.56 NATO. Easy to use and maintain. Although some depts. clearly have money to burn and are upgrading to M4 carbines. The M4's offer more options for accessory mounting and optic variations. If I was on the beat I'd be happy with either weapon. 30 rnds of anything .223/5.56 is a lot to through at a target.

reply to post by Mudman21


Ugh, I've worked at Sheriff's department. Hell, I helped install 12 tac slings on 12 full-auto M-16s. I've trained with fellow police officers, Homeland Security, etc. M-16s are standard. Most police departments equip their motorcycle cops with HK MP-5s. What's the big deal?

I'm surprised the Boston police never had them in the first place. Or maybe this news source is just trying to scare some people.

If you want to see a progressive police force, look into Santa Monica, CA. They're doing a great job keeping up to speed with arms, tactics, and such.

[edit on 29-5-2009 by guppy]

What a sensationalist, puffed up crock of ****.

The AR-15 is semi-automatic, therefore, not an assault rifle.

The rifle fires a hot-rod .22, the .223, and is not a high-powered round by any stretch of the imagination.

And it sure as hell isn't a long-range weapon. This is arguably an underpowered weapon for the military, and would also be underpowered for the police.

No wonder the Northeast has such ****ed up gun laws.

They apparently don't know one end from the other!

Semi-automatic assault rifles. Love that. Kind of an oxymoron, but hey, no worries.

While I am someone that is VERY critical of our law enforcement, this is pretty outlandish. L.A., Miami, and many other major police forces have been far more heavily armed than this for years.

Who cares when you have this 11 month old running around with a shotgun. Boston beware!

10-month-old baby gets a gun permit

[url=http://www.fox11az.com/news/topstories/stories/kmsb-20070515-kmovjc-babygun.70919325.html]


[edit on 29-5-2009 by DeusZo]

[edit on 29-5-2009 by DeusZo]

[edit on 29-5-2009 by DeusZo]

Not really a "hot" news item...

My department in Delaware has had AR-15's for years.. That is the proper designation for the "Semi-Auto" version of the M-16, by the way..

We actually use the CAR-15... C for collapsible stock..

There is also a HUGE difference in the 22 "Rim Fire" or 22 as you all are referencing it, and the .223, or 5.56mm

Having used them extensively, one must understand there is no "Magic" bullet and the 223 is a reliable and effective combat round..

I know of departments that issue the "Mini-14", the AR-15, the M-16 and even some that have the MP-5...

They have been using them for years..

Semper

My comparison was that this is in essence a hot rod .22.

Same diameter bullet, a heavier bullet, just more powder behind it.

I used it in combat until one day when I figured out how badly it sucked if you had to take a man out.

It works, just not all that well.

Having to shoot a man to doll rags just to bring the "high" SOB down is not my idea of fun.

reply to post by dooper


Well I must say my experiences have been somewhat better...

Here for comparison...

22 rim fire
[atsimg]http://files.abovetopsecret.com/images/member/272ee7ebf4a2.jpg[/atsimg]

223 or 5.56
[atsimg]http://files.abovetopsecret.com/images/member/212dd61e4ade.jpg[/atsimg]

Semper

Before we all start freaking out i'd like to ask have any of you ever lived in the ''ghetto''? Two weeks ago a kid around here robbed a store with a Desert Eagle cops get issued a 9mm Beretta right? Can't say I blame them for wanting more firepower.

After my experiences with the M-16 in Vietnam, I thought it was crap. Years later after seeing a guy run over 2500 rounds through a CAR-16 on full auto, I had to change my opinion about its reliability...... Even with good ammo and in full auto mode, they are almost worthless on Texas wild hogs..... I have often wondered why the 45-70 was phased out for the 30-40 Krag.

reply to post by hypervigilant


There's a reason not too many deer hunters use the .223 either. They don't kill that well, and no one wants to spend the rest of the day and half a night tracking down a wounded deer.

They got the reliability thing down pat.

They don't have the knock-down thing down pat.

I have a CAR-15, but more out of nostalgic interests than in defense interests.

A .308? Now, we're talking about a weapon!

And why do police snipers use the .308?

Because they'll likely only get one shot.

And it has to count.