06-04-2008, 02:38 PM
BRITTANY WALLMAN Staff writer
Sun-Sentinel (Fort Lauderdale, Florida)
The city is arming 100 patrol officers with semi-automatic assault rifles, hoping to outgun some of the most dangerous criminals.
Commissioners voted unanimously Tuesday night to buy the Colt AR-6520 rifles, at $850 apiece. The city also will spend $61,880 on ammunition.
The assault rifles would enable officers to handle violent incidents "as quickly and efficiently as possible, therefore reducing harm to citizens and officers," according to a police memo.
New Police Chief Frank Adderley said police have seized AK-47 automatic assault rifles in the city, and officers need to upgrade their weaponry to keep the city safe.
Rifles can shoot farther and more accurately than a handgun.
The city cited the mass shootings at Columbine High School in Colorado in 1999 and last year's Virginia Tech massacre in arguing the need for the weapons. They also pointed to the shooting death last year of a Miami-Dade County law enforcement officer by a criminal with an AK-47.
Criminals in Fort Lauderdale are well armed, police officials said, though not necessarily with rifles. The city has seized hundreds of guns over the past four years - 291 in 2007 alone, police cited in a memo to city commissioners.
The city's 400-plus officers eventually will all have the assault rifles in their patrol cars. But the purchases will be in phases, so officers can be trained, Adderley said.
Fort Lauderdale's officers last year were armed with Taser stun guns, after a year with numerous police shootings.
But Commissioner Carlton Moore, often outspoken about police violence, said he supported the purchase of the rifles.
"I don't want our police to be at a disadvantage to the individuals they are trying to keep us safe from," he said.
The rifle purchase was requested by former Chief Bruce Roberts, who quit abruptly last week. Roberts cited in his resignation letter a purchase of equipment that was being "intentionally ... delayed" by City Manager George Gretsas' administration, in what Roberts said was a desire to punish the police officers' union after brutal contract negotiations.
Assistant City Manager David Hebert, who oversees police, fire and emergency services, said Tuesday that he did briefly stall the rifle purchase to ask questions. But he said it had nothing to do with bad blood.
"That's absolutely ridiculous," he said. " ... I needed more information. I got more information."
Read more about the police union's fight with City Hall at Sun-Sentinel.com/browardpolitics. Click on "police, fire tactics" on the right side of the page.
Brittany Wallman can be reached at bwallman@sun-sentinel.com or 954-356-4541.
IN OTHER ACTION
Fort Lauderdale city commissioners Tuesday: Said nothing after Vice Mayor Charlotte Rodstrom called on City Manager George Gretsas to resign. Rodstrom cited the recent resignation of the police chief, who quit because he said Gretsas ruled in a ?suffocating?? atmosphere? driven by his desire for employees to show loyalty.
Agreed to send to the November ballot a proposed change in the city charter that allows the city clerk and city auditor to hire their own assistants, and clarifies that they are not hired by the city manager. The clerk and auditor report to the City Commission, not the manager.
Settled for $60,000 the workers? compensation claim and lawsuit of a former city firefighter injured in 2003 when a fire truck hood hit him in the head, and who also reported hearing loss ?due to being exposed to loud sirens for a prolonged period of time.??
Postponed to June 17 a discussion about whether to hire a consultant to help the city rewrite land development rules to guide the future of neighborhoods. The initiative began in a backlash against ?McMansions,?? the large homes replacing smaller ones in older neighborhoods.
Sun-Sentinel (Fort Lauderdale, Florida)
The city is arming 100 patrol officers with semi-automatic assault rifles, hoping to outgun some of the most dangerous criminals.
Commissioners voted unanimously Tuesday night to buy the Colt AR-6520 rifles, at $850 apiece. The city also will spend $61,880 on ammunition.
The assault rifles would enable officers to handle violent incidents "as quickly and efficiently as possible, therefore reducing harm to citizens and officers," according to a police memo.
New Police Chief Frank Adderley said police have seized AK-47 automatic assault rifles in the city, and officers need to upgrade their weaponry to keep the city safe.
Rifles can shoot farther and more accurately than a handgun.
The city cited the mass shootings at Columbine High School in Colorado in 1999 and last year's Virginia Tech massacre in arguing the need for the weapons. They also pointed to the shooting death last year of a Miami-Dade County law enforcement officer by a criminal with an AK-47.
Criminals in Fort Lauderdale are well armed, police officials said, though not necessarily with rifles. The city has seized hundreds of guns over the past four years - 291 in 2007 alone, police cited in a memo to city commissioners.
The city's 400-plus officers eventually will all have the assault rifles in their patrol cars. But the purchases will be in phases, so officers can be trained, Adderley said.
Fort Lauderdale's officers last year were armed with Taser stun guns, after a year with numerous police shootings.
But Commissioner Carlton Moore, often outspoken about police violence, said he supported the purchase of the rifles.
"I don't want our police to be at a disadvantage to the individuals they are trying to keep us safe from," he said.
The rifle purchase was requested by former Chief Bruce Roberts, who quit abruptly last week. Roberts cited in his resignation letter a purchase of equipment that was being "intentionally ... delayed" by City Manager George Gretsas' administration, in what Roberts said was a desire to punish the police officers' union after brutal contract negotiations.
Assistant City Manager David Hebert, who oversees police, fire and emergency services, said Tuesday that he did briefly stall the rifle purchase to ask questions. But he said it had nothing to do with bad blood.
"That's absolutely ridiculous," he said. " ... I needed more information. I got more information."
Read more about the police union's fight with City Hall at Sun-Sentinel.com/browardpolitics. Click on "police, fire tactics" on the right side of the page.
Brittany Wallman can be reached at bwallman@sun-sentinel.com or 954-356-4541.
IN OTHER ACTION
Fort Lauderdale city commissioners Tuesday: Said nothing after Vice Mayor Charlotte Rodstrom called on City Manager George Gretsas to resign. Rodstrom cited the recent resignation of the police chief, who quit because he said Gretsas ruled in a ?suffocating?? atmosphere? driven by his desire for employees to show loyalty.
Agreed to send to the November ballot a proposed change in the city charter that allows the city clerk and city auditor to hire their own assistants, and clarifies that they are not hired by the city manager. The clerk and auditor report to the City Commission, not the manager.
Settled for $60,000 the workers? compensation claim and lawsuit of a former city firefighter injured in 2003 when a fire truck hood hit him in the head, and who also reported hearing loss ?due to being exposed to loud sirens for a prolonged period of time.??
Postponed to June 17 a discussion about whether to hire a consultant to help the city rewrite land development rules to guide the future of neighborhoods. The initiative began in a backlash against ?McMansions,?? the large homes replacing smaller ones in older neighborhoods.