[Congressional Record Volume 141, Number 98 (Thursday, June 15, 1995)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1259]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]


                       LAW ENFORCEMENT LEGISLATION

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                           HON. JIM LIGHTFOOT

                                of iowa

                    in the house of representatives

                        Wednesday, June 14, 1995
  Mr. LIGHTFOOT. Mr. Speaker, I would like to urge my colleagues to 
support legislation I have recently offered. Regardless of what we in 
Congress believe is the best way to approach crime control, we can all 
agree there is no more important resource in that effort than the men 
and women who serve our Nation's communities as law enforcement 
officers.
  The legislation I am referring to is H.R. 1805. This legislation 
would allow off-duty and retired law enforcement officers to carry 
concealed weapons. As a former law enforcement officer, I can tell you 
that the daily duties of police officers are regularly fraught with 
danger. And just by virtue of doing their jobs, police officers make 
many enemies within the criminal community. Those who have served in 
law enforcement have many legitimate concerns about their safety and 
the safety of their loved ones. Allowing those officers who are off-
duty or retired to carry concealed weapons can help allay those fears.
  In addition, regardless of whether they are on or off duty or 
retired, police officers know what to do in the event of a crime, how 
to minimize threats to the public safety and how best to apprehend a 
criminal. Providing those who are the most knowledgeable about how to 
catch and restrain criminals with the ability to carry weapons makes 
such action easier. This legislation gives us an additional tool with 
which to fight violent crime. I would also tell my colleagues who have 
legitimate concerns about the availability of firearms that this 
measure was crafted to ensure that it pertains only to those who are 
either retired or current full time police officers charged with the 
authority to make arrests, and those who are required to regularly 
qualify in the use of a firearm. Furthermore, the legislation also 
requires that officers covered under this bill must be able to present 
a badge and photographic identification.
  This legislation has the strong support of the 270,000 members of the 
National Fraternal Order of Police and I ask unanimous consent that a 
letter to that effect from FOP President Dewey Stokes be inserted in 
the The Record at this point.
  I hope my colleagues will agree with me that we owe it to our 
Nation's law enforcement officers not to stand in the way of their 
efforts to protect themselves and others. I believe this legislation 
meets that goal. I urge my colleagues to support H.R. 1805.
                                    Fraternal Order of Police,

                                    Washington, DC, June 13, 1995.
     Hon. Jim Ross Lightfoot,
     U.S. House of Representatives, Washington, DC.
       Dear Congressman Lightfoot: On behalf of the 270,000 
     members of the Fraternal Order of police, I thank you for the 
     introduction of HR1805, which will allow off duty and retired 
     state, local and federal officers to carry concealed weapons 
     in all United States jurisdictions.
       This legislation is critically important to public safety 
     on two levels:
       First, it provides state local and federal officers, who 
     are increasingly targeted by the criminal element, with a 
     legal means to defend themselves and their loved ones in off-
     duty situations or in their retirement years.
       Secondly, this legislation will have the immediate effect 
     of putting trained, qualified, dedicated officers in a 
     position to assist their brother and sister officers and 
     citizens no matter where or when the need occurs.
       The careful drafting of your bill, paying special attention 
     to the qualification and identification of officers permitted 
     to carry concealed weapons, makes HR1805 preferable to other 
     similar legislation, because HR1805 provides better 
     safeguards against officers endangering one another through 
     mistaken identity.
       Again, the rank and file law officers of this country thank 
     you and we look forward to working with you on this and the 
     many other police issues in which you have taken a leadership 
     role, most notably the HR878, the Police Officers' Bill of 
     Rights.
           Sincerely,
                                                  Dewey R. Stokes,
                                               National President.
     

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