Sunday, April 27, 2008

Shy-town


Behave when you're in Chicago.


Daley: Chicago police to get assault rifles
Tribune staff report

Mayor Richard Daley said Saturday Chicago police officers will he armed with high-powered assault rifles when they're on the streets fighting gangs and other criminals."Many times they're outgunned, to be very frank," Daley said at an event in the Englewood neighborhood. "When they come to a scene, someone has a semi fully-automatic weapon and you have a little pistol, uh, good luck."


The city's police officers carry pistols, and Daley suggested they will start carrying "M4 rifles."Police spokeswoman Monique Bond said the department still is working out details about the M4 carbines. "It is something being reviewed. As far as all of the logistics, the training component, might be premature to discuss it at this point," Bond said.


Daley pointed out that the Illinois State Police, Chicago SWAT units and other police departments around the country already carry high-powered assault weapons. He said the weapons will better match the Chicago police officers against criminals with sophisticated weapons, such as high-powered assault rifles.


"We're finding out that the weapons of criminals are getting bigger and bigger, AK47s, all types of different weapons, because they can carry assault weapons, it's not a violation of federal law, and that is a concern for all of us," he said.