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Don't Believe the Hype: Hearsay and Rumor Can Lead You to Make Unwise Decisions About Guns, Calibers, and Ammo Types

NCJ Number
205584
Journal
Police: The Law Enforcement Magazine Volume: 28 Issue: 5 Dated: May 2004 Pages: 54,56,57
Author(s)
Roy Huntington
Date Published
May 2004
Length
3 pages
Annotation
This article urges police officers to be wary of making unnecessary changes in police equipment.
Abstract
New police technology is an exciting prospect as improvements are always being made to enhance officer safety and job performance. However, in too many cases, media reports or rumors are responsible for spurring a rush for new equipment that may be unnecessary. The goal of this article is to encourage officers to look closely at the arsenal of equipment currently available to them before making knee-jerk decisions about upgrading equipment. A small case example is presented of a bank robbery in North Hollywood in which police officers were shot. The media frenzy surrounding the case convinced most police officers that they needed larger caliber guns to combat today’s criminals. While this may indeed be the case, the author cautions against knee-jerk decisions based on media hype. In the case of the North Hollywood bank robbery, the author argues that simple rifles were needed to put the officers on an even playing field with the suspects; most police departments already have this type of equipment in their arsenal. The point is underscored that simple police equipment is often superior because more complex weapon systems have more opportunities to malfunction. Additionally, the author asserts that when changes in police equipment are made in response to new perceived “threats,” the change may make officers feel better, but in actuality most equipment changes do not sizably improve officer safety and may be financially costly. In the end, when media hysteria over new threats to police officer safety leads a charge for new equipment, it is imperative to examine whether the new perceived needs are actually present and whether the current arsenal of police equipment can effectively respond to any new threats. In most cases, officers will find they already have everything they need.