Every Maine State police officer to receive new AR-15 assault rifles!!!

A trooper placed a Maine-made AR-15 assault rifle in her hands and gave her tips about how to fire the gun safely. Beaudoin is the one who submitted a bill to supply the weapons to every trooper on regular patrol.

This is just the most disturbing thing Ive heard in awhile. Not only is this a scare tactic towards criminals but also the growing American "Extremists and Terrorists". This should set the precedent across the country military weapons used by regular civilian police.

A total of 105 of the guns were recently purchased for the state’s regular patrol troopers, who have been using semi-automatic 9 mm Ruger carbine rifles. The $76,191 price for the new guns was paid by a combination of drug funds and state revenues, Beaudoin said.

“They’re very happy, but I think I’m happiest of all because they’re safe and have the equipment they need,” she said. “They do so much for us, putting their lives on the line.”

Yes the police are safe from all of the scary terrorists that are lurking around every corner and under every rock in America and of all places,MAINE! When was the last time you heard of a bomber or a terrorist threatening to kill people or take hostages?

“I’m very proud of the men and women we have as state troopers,” Beaudoin said.

Aww well doesnt that make you feel all warm and cosey inside? Adding at the end of the article they are proud of them. What an empty and cold saying or slogan if you will. Soon enough your local police will have mini guns and gunships on you if your dog poops on your next door neighbors lawn. Enjoy the police state folks!


State police get AR-15s

[edit on 1-5-2010 by hawaiinguy12]

Hmmm, so what do you think that Maine State Troopers should be armed with, if at all?

And if terrorists are going to enter the US, they have to slip across an international border. Last time I checked, Maine bordered Canada.

Is terrorism the excuse?

Cops have had these rifles for decades. They replaced the mini-14 for a lot of departments which for all intents and purposes is the same gun essentially.

I'm surprised thy were using pistol caliber carbines for so long since Maine isn't very densely populated. Must have been a Ruger contract. Ruger loves to work off of the government contracts. I imagine much of their contracts through the 90's were products of Mr Ruger testifying to Congress that us simple peons didn't need a gun that could hold more than 5 bullets or some similar nonsense.

Maine, especially Northern Maine, is like Alaska lite. I'm surprised they don't have RPG's and 50 cal machine guns way up there.

The terrorism excuse though is pretty poor. If that is their excuse then I object to the purchase on the grounds that their reasoning is bunk. If they just wanted to update their equipment for the sake of updating their equipment then by all means go for it.

Now what I want to know is when will their old carbines hit the surplus shelves and how cheap will they be?


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reply to post by jerico65

Last time I checked, Maine bordered Canada.

You know that terrorist don't come in through the Northern border. That only happens on the Southern border.

AR-15 are ok with me.

They're replacing the old Ruger Police Carbine rifle.

en.wikipedia.org...

Correct me if I'm wrong but I was getting the vibe that you thought all regular state troopers were getting these as their main weapon.

This isn't the case, it's replacing the secondary rifle that is usually in the boot or wherever they keep it.

[edit on 1/5/10 by Chadwickus]

reply to post by jerico65


Emphasis on slip. Should any terrorists be entering our country with the intent of causing havoc, I doubt they will come to the border toting weapons.

reply to post by jerico65


Well I can already tell that you are very close minded and you probably are one of the folks who actually believe the official story of 9/11 so it is pretty pointless to even argue with you about this subject. And if you have been doing your homework you would see that many different groups around the country (usually liberal) are starting to label the teapartyers and people who believe in the second amendment as a hate group and a terrorist organization. So think about it..who do you really think these weapons are going to intimidate or even be used on. Thats right, the American public!

I never said that police should not be able to protect themselves against criminals but when was the last time you heard of or saw a hardcore criminal gang in Maine with machine guns and other "Long Guns" as they put it in the article?

[edit on 1-5-2010 by hawaiinguy12]

I have no problem with it. Personally, I believe that the general public should have access to the same weapons and equipment as civilian law enforcement, but I also think that it works both ways. The police should not have to rely on an inferior weapon such as those 9mm carbines in their line of work. If they want to upgrade to an AR-15, that's something I fully support.

Law enforcement officers are well trained to use weapons in a safe and responsible manner. I see nothing wrong with arming our officers so that they can do their duty of protecting and serving its law-abiding citizens from the ALWAYS present SCUM of the earth.

Originally posted by jerico65
Hmmm, so what do you think that Maine State Troopers should be armed with, if at all?

And if terrorists are going to enter the US, they have to slip across an international border. Last time I checked, Maine bordered Canada.

Ummm, should they have RPG's instead? The handgun has always worked. Are weed dealers wearing combat gear? How could you even attempt to justify this?

Gotta love paranoid people.

The AR15 has been around for a LONG time, in the hands of MANY officers. No reason to get worried...but lets look at this in terms you may understand.

I won't mention street gangs and other criminal elements who carry AK47's, AR15's, MAC10's, etc....even though I bet SOMEWHERE in Maine exists people who want to or DO run with this element. Anyway I will focus soley on the enviroment of Maine.

What do MANY people in Maine do, or travel to Maine to do? Hunt...well what are hunters armed with or most people in Maine armed with? Rifles...probably a wide range of calibers....and these rifles and their shooters are probably pretty good shots which means they can kill cops or their victims from a long way out and that firepower does what to a pistol? It makes it USELESS....so enter the AR15...which can be used up close if needed AND reach out to distance to even the playing field if someone loses their minds with a high powered rifle.

Also...just a hunch...I bet there is more then 1 person living in Maine armed with military style rifles...so yet again this levels the playing field for cops if that day ever comes where someone gets a wild hair up their tush....seriously though...thats all this is for....not some wild takeover of Maine...

What people don't realize is that if every law abiding citizen in America had a AR-15,crime would drop overnight. Do you really think a person is going to try and break into someones house who may or may not have a semi-auto rifle at there bedside? I think not. And think about this,police mostly RESPOND to a crime, they do not prevent it because it is basically impossible unless of course you have sufficient evidence ahead of time in which that case yes,they would respond accordingly. I vote for the first one if you ask me

reply to post by rcwj1975


So your ENTIRE argument is based off of the assumption that sometime in the future a criminal MAY have a long rang rifle and go ape sh*t?? I have not seen breaking news anywhere in Maine or New Hampshire saying that armed criminals with rifles is on the rise. Thats a very weak argument in my opinion. And as for your "Leveling the playing field" statement, no one ever said that people are starting to accumulate large stockpiles of semi auto rifles and passing them out around there community so now the police must get them to. Its ridiculous to even think that and if you really dont think America is heading for a police state then I feel sorry for you my friend.

[edit on 1-5-2010 by hawaiinguy12]

Originally posted by hawaiinguy12
So your ENTIRE argument is based off of the assumption that sometime in the future a criminal MAY have a long rang rifle and go ape sh*t?? I have not seen breaking news anywhere in Maine or New Hampshire saying that armed criminals with rifles is on the rise. Thats a very weak argument in my opinion.

WOW...your level of fantasyland leaves me speechless. So you think tat arming your own police force with weapons that CAN match that of someone who MAY someday snap and start dropping people is a bad idea? I would hate to see your preperation plan for ANYTHING....sounds like your screwed.

By the way....what do you suggest your officers do if one of the fine citizens of Maine one day decides to rob a bank, kill his family, go buts and is armed with an assault rifle and they got pistols? Again...whats better...having them and hoping to never need them, or needing them and not having them? And if you think Maine is above a bad incident...well I believe people do kill each other up there too right?

"Gotta love paranoid people.

The AR15 has been around for a LONG time, in the hands of MANY officers. No reason to get worried...but lets look at this in terms you may understand."

From the first three sentences above, two of them contain insults. Gotta love people who insult others to make a point.

"...and these rifles and their shooters are probably pretty good shots which means they can kill cops or their victims from a long way out and that firepower does what to a pistol?"

Yeah, make sure you watch out for these evildoer hunters. What was that you were saying about paranoid people?

[edit on 1-5-2010 by SphinxMontreal]

reply to post by rcwj1975


How are you going to tell me Im living in fantasy land when you are the one who is just assuming things with no proof? You have NO PROOF that there is a rise in crazy people with rifles in Maine? You have NO PROOF that there is going to be a bank robbery and the person will be armed with heavy guns? Please don't speak to me like Im an idiot because my step father is a military police officer and carries a M-16 all day every day and believes this is going a little too far for a state police officer to have these weapons.

Originally posted by hawaiinguy12

A trooper placed a Maine-made AR-15 assault rifle in her hands and gave her tips about how to fire the gun safely. Beaudoin is the one who submitted a bill to supply the weapons to every trooper on regular patrol.

Bushmaster is HQ'ed in the State of Maine. Ruger is not. Bushmaster makes AR-15. End of story. Political not conspiracy.

It's very unfortunate that you really believe they are arming them for the purpose for fighting crime. Could it all be a response to the increasing amount of Gun activists in the state? I'm not one to make assumptions like some others on here but lets have a look.

Gun Rights activists gather in Portland

reply to post by hawaiinguy12


I see debating with you is going to be useless...you have ZERO logic about a VERY serious topic. That topic is VIOLENCE...its not about how often it happens, its the fact that it can and does happen and can do so ANYTIME, ANYWHERE, and NOONE knows what LEVEL of violence that will be...i.e. BE PREPARED for not IF it does but WHEN it does.

Again to think its out of line for your State Police to have as much fire power as everyone else is simply ......

By the way...here are two simple example of incidents that COULD of been worse and the cops would of been OUTGUNNED....but I'm sure your don't care as long as the criminals have the bigger guns and advantage right?

news.mainetoday.com...

www.sunjournal.com...