Cops not on board with concealed carry

Despite a headline that said,"Cops on board with concealed weapons bill," it turns out that most law enforcement officers in Wisconsin still oppose the idea that we should put more guns on the street.

An amendment allowing police officers making a stop to find out whether the driver has a concealed weapons permit was enough the get the Milwaukee Police Assn. (the Republican police union) and the State Troopers Assn. on board. (Actually, the MPA president said Wednesday his group had always been for the bill.)

The militia mentality of the gun-lovers showed itself in the amendment, which also provides that police officers who misuse or make the permit information public can be prosecuted. There is a basic mistrust of police, which is why we all need our own guns.

The amendment still won't allow an officer called to the scene of domestic violence or other potentially volatile situations to find out whether someone in the household he's about to enter has a gun permit.

The head of the State Patrol, Superintendent David Collins, made it clear that those groups don't speak for him, or for most of the other police officers in the state:

The minor change announced today to the concealed weapons bill amounts to window dressing on a very dangerous, unnecessary piece of legislation. Having more people carrying around loaded, hidden weapons under their coats during the holiday season will not make Wisconsin any safer. It could put the public at risk, and it will make the job of law enforcement more difficult and more dangerous.

The change announced today doesn't always allow law enforcement to know if a suspect is carrying a concealed weapon. Officers would still be at risk in many situations not covered by the amendment, like when they are responding to a domestic violence call, responding to someone who's not in a car, or pulling over someone who has committed a crime other than a traffic violation.

I am confident that the overwhelming majority of law enforcement, including much of the Wisconsin State Patrol, remains opposed to this legislation, which will only make their jobs harder. Concealed weapons have been illegal in Wisconsin for more than 100 years, and not coincidentally, we are one of the safest states in the nation."

UPDATE: Police chiefs chime in.