IMPD gun rule under fire

[Dogman]

Or taken home by persons from the departments.

Do you have personal knowledge of that?

 

[Dogman]

Apparently fingerprinting doesn't do a thing to stop a crime otherwise there would be no repeat offenders, Mr Anderson was fingerprinted and still killed Officer Laird.

 

[indyjoe]

Where's the aclu when you need them!

They are so busy protecting all other Amendments, they often don't have time for the 2nd.

 

[Bigum1969]

They are so busy protecting all other Amendments, they often don't have time for the 2nd.

Very true.

 

[4sarge]

Ballard Continues to Alienate Republican Voters; The City's Gun Return Policy

Ballard Continues to Alienate Republican Voters; The City's Gun Return Policy


The Indianapolis Star today reports on IMPD's gun return policy that is more strict than other similarly-sized cities, including Louisville, Cleveland, Cincinnati and Milwaukee. The article mentions the case of my client who legally had guns in his home that were taken by the police when they searched his home because the wrong address was on a warrant. IMPD refused to return his guns to my client unless he fill out a form and submit to fingerprinting, which although, not indicated in the article, goes into a national fingerprint database.

It should be noted that I communicated with Jonathan Mayes, head of Litigation for City Legal on this matter. Mayes always claimed that if my client filled out the form and submitted to fingerprinting he could get his guns back. What Mayes concealed from me was the fact that my client's guns had already been destroyed, something I only learned a few days ago from the reporter who did the story. These weapons were destroyed despite the fact that the city had been informed my client intended to seek the return of his weapons, if necessary through litigation. In short, the city destroyed evidence in a potential lawsuit.

But this post is about the politics of the city's gun policy. Any political adviser will tell you that the first thing you do when your party is in the minority (Republicans have about a 44% base in Marion County) is to secure your base before going after independents and Democrats to get to 50%. Yet now, for the second time, Mayor Ballard has chosen instead to take on the most loyal Republican constituency there is - gun owners. One wonders if Mayor Ballard is purposefully trying to lose the 2011 election and drag down the Republican Council with him.

 

[jennybird]

The chances of me killing someone with my car are far greater than killing them with my gun. This line of thinking would require us to be fingerprinted before the return of a stolen vehicle as well. Yeah, cause our country would never have double standards now would they?

 

[cox7215]

wow that was the longest post I have ever seen!!!! Good job!!! What can we do about this, ???????? We need to do something!!!!!!!!1

 

[CulpeperMM]

Brown Shirts in action.

these are the actions of government gone mad with power-lust, to lord over its subjects.

 

[Stainer]

Unfortunately we have already proven that finger printing does no better than a background check because the guy was still able to get his guns back and kill officer Laird. So how is this going to help??? If you are not a felon, you will get your gun back and they can find that out in a quick background check.

 

[Goodcat]

I had to give finger prints to get my .40 back that was seized by IMPD a good two years back. (I did nothing illegal mind you, but would rather not go into details of why it was seized) An no, I have no felony's or anything for that matter on my record. As well, I was not under investigation for any crimes. Took me 6 months of calling and leaving messages before finally finding out the officer that was supposed to sign paper work to release it back to me had transfered departments and the paper work kept sitting in an empty box. Once I finally got a hold of the office they were very cooperative and relased it back to me no problem, but I did have to give finger prints. Felt kinda strange.

 

[CarmelHP]

You're supposing too much. Clueless Greg has no idea how he got elected or what he should do now. He couldn't go peepee if Bob Grand didn't tell him when and how. He was the unintended beneficiary of an anti-Peterson groundswell. Anyway, he wants New York City style gun laws so this fits in perfectly.

Ballard Continues to Alienate Republican Voters; The City's Gun Return Policy


One wonders if Mayor Ballard is purposefully trying to lose the 2011 election and drag down the Republican Council with him.

 

[Smitty506th]

I wonder if I could get out of it by showing my Military I.D.? They already have my DNA on file. Why would I have to surrender fingerprints to IMPD.

 

[cox7215]

give it a try......... good luck! Sounds like they are going to do what they want...

 

[SigSense]

I wonder if I could get out of it by showing my Military I.D.? They already have my DNA on file. Why would I have to surrender fingerprints to IMPD.

A Police Department's "view" on military service is subjective. If the Chief is a former/retired military vet, then typically the department sees things in this way. You never know. Most of the time, my military ID is viewed favorably.

 

[Turtle]

I'm sad to say Ive been through this process. It basically made me feel like the victim for the 2nd time. Then I got the guns back with bullets in them and a pouch of bullets in the box. I even got to be escorted out the building by 2 police. I looked like i was in trouble. But all I was doing was getting my stolen property back. after 2years OMG! Glad im not into selling my guns. because im sure these are registered to me after the paperwork and waiting and finger prints. OOOh and to make things worse I wasnt carrying my permit at the time because I hadnt had a gun to carry. They wouldnt release the gun without me having a permit to carry???? I didnt need a permit to buy the damn thing?? but to get it back I did. so I had to go all the way back home to get my permit. Was BS. this was like 5 years ago and it still makes me mad.

 

[WHAT HAPPENED]

I'm sad to say Ive been through this process. It basically made me feel like the victim for the 2nd time. Then I got the guns back with bullets in them and a pouch of bullets in the box. I even got to be escorted out the building by 2 police. I looked like i was in trouble. But all I was doing was getting my stolen property back. after 2years OMG! Glad im not into selling my guns. because im sure these are registered to me after the paperwork and waiting and finger prints. OOOh and to make things worse I wasnt carrying my permit at the time because I hadnt had a gun to carry. They wouldnt release the gun without me having a permit to carry???? I didnt need a permit to buy the damn thing?? but to get it back I did. so I had to go all the way back home to get my permit. Was BS. this was like 5 years ago and it still makes me mad.

I would have told them to take a flying sh!t on a rolling donut and to shove it up their asses....

in a matter of speaking

 

[jennybird]

I would have told them to take a flying sh!t on a rolling donut and to shove it up their asses....

in a matter of speaking

Yep. That would have made them more cooperative.

 

[4sarge]

There isn't a logical or legal explanation of why a firearm not used in a crime or seized by a search warrant (charges or court case pending) or subject of some criminal proceeding could not be returned immediately (normal business hours) to the owner (person it was taken from) without this Mickey Mouse (my apologies to Mickey) BS. A photo ID, LTCH, a wanted check (NCIS) on the firearm should be enough for a good to go release. This is a game to keep the firearm long enough that you will lose interest or pass a deadline so the firearm can be destroyed.

 

[jennybird]

This is a game to keep the firearm long enough that you will lose interest or pass a deadline so the firearm can be sold on the black market.

FIFY. Let's face it, with all due respect to LEO's, there are plenty of crooked cops out there. Or maybe I've just watched too many movies.

 

[4sarge]

FIFY. Let's face it, with all due respect to LEO's, there are plenty of crooked cops out there.

In defense of LEO's this particular policy isn't based on monetary gain for them or the agency. I do not know if IMPD are auctioning off the weapons or if they are currently ordered destroyed. This is simply removing firearms from the general populace without a valid legal reason for their removal. Policy is set by order of the Chief who is appointed by the Mayor. The IACP isn't a friend to the average citizen or policeman and has strong influence in most larger departments and they are a strong advocate of seizing and banishment of all firearms from all citizens.


IACP