CLEAT: LEOs will pay the ultimate price for open carry

[v7a]

CLEAT: Law enforcement will pay the ultimate price for open carry

Head of law enforcement group says police authority eroded by new gun laws

The executive director of the largest state police association in Texas, Charley Wilkison, made a promise to the chairs of the committees that voted out the open carry bill: He would be on their doorstep with the names of fallen officers if lawmakers failed to protect the ability of police officers to do their jobs.

Wilkison, who heads up Combined Law Enforcement Association of Texas, has made no secret of his dislike of the open carry bill that passed this session. Nor was he particularly happy that every amendment CLEAT wanted to add to the bill to protect the officer on the street was shot down.

“The police are not going to be the only people reacting to open carry. There are variables out there we can’t even foresee,” Wilkison said at a law enforcement conference today in Austin. “We were characterized as nervous, conservative, anxious, and we deserved all those characterizations.”

Lawmakers assured Wilkison that open carry was no more than an extension of gun rights for those who have a concealed handgun license. Even if all goes well, there will be more guns out on the street in the hands of people, Wilkison said. He doesn’t consider the defeat of the “no stop” amendment to be a victory for law enforcement.

It will be a great day in America when the public stops falling for police propaganda. Taxi drivers are twice as likely to become homicide victims as police officers.

[CoffeeNut]

When I read things like this it just makes me want to open carry more. If they want to scream wolf about "officer safety" over something nearly every other state has no issue with then I'll be more than happy to show them there is no wolf.

[ELB]

The executive director of the largest state police association in Texas, Charley Wilkison, made a promise to the chairs of the committees that voted out the open carry bill: He would be on their doorstep with the names of fallen officers if lawmakers failed to protect the ability of police officers to do their jobs.

Since there were already 44 states that had open carry, I presume he then presented a list of "fallen officers" from other states because "lawmakers failed to protect the ability of police officers to do their jobs"?

No?

[The Wall]

It's amazing how none of these problems they talk about hardly ever, or never happen in all of the other states that allow open carry. What makes them think it will be any different in Texas. He should be careful about showing up on peoples front porches or doorsteps uninvited also.

[jmra]

"Blood will flow in the streets".
I don't believe OC will put police in more danger. IMHO the OCers are more likely to be in more danger from someone like the idiot running CLEAT carrying a gun than any police officer will be from a CHLer OCing.
Sadly the first time that one nervous rookie cop overreacts and pulls the trigger it will be OC that is blamed.

[The Annoyed Man]

Head of law enforcement group says police authority eroded by new gun laws...

Hogwash. They'll have the same amount of authority has they had before. Now....whether or not people will be more or less likely to comply with police authority is another matter....... but their authority is not eroded.

I dislike imprecise language.....particularly when it involves a complaint against my exercise of a constitutional right.

[poppo]

Even if all goes well, there will be more guns out on the street in the hands of people, Wilkison said.

More? Some people are totally clueless.

[TexasJohnBoy]

Same amount of guns on the street. You'll just be able to see some now. And they are still carried by law abiding licensed background checked citizens. I support cops, I know they have a difficult job, just this downright isn't the case.

Wait, there might be more because more people get CHLs every year, so more law abiding licensed citizens might carry.

[DevilDawg]

Just gonna leave this here

[Charles L. Cotton]

CLEAT and Wilkerson have never been friends of gun owners. CLEAT used to oppose almost all pro-gun bills, until their donations plummeted. They stayed out of gun politics, until now. I hope their revenue hits the skids again.

Chas.

[srothstein]

In addition to what Charles and others have posted, I like to tell people what the former president (maybe executive director, I am not sure anymore) of CLEAT told me. Back when I was an officer and was elected to a director's position in the San Antonio police union, CLEAT was asked why they endorsed candidates for office that almost no police officer would support or vote for. He pointed out that CLEAT is first and foremost a LABOR organization, not a police organization. Its members might be police officers, but the organization is a labor union and endorses candidates for their labor stance.

They know that the conservatives will always support police officers and law enforcement. They take their political stances because it helps them with their labor positions. Note that the traditional political party that is anti-gun is also the traditional party for labor to support. CLEAT knows that it can depend on the support of the Democrats when they bring up labor issues to improve their contracts because they support Democratic positions. They know they can count on the Republican support on their labor issues because no Republican wants to be cast as anti-police. I do not like this hypocrisy but I see it at work and admit it is effective.

[K.Mooneyham]

So, after having read everything in this thread, I want to ask one thing: are Wilkison and Acevedo cut from the same cloth? That is really all I need to know.

[Excaliber]

Many major organizations that used to have credibility that earned respect have been hijacked by leftist political types elected by members who weren't paying attention to who they were trusting with power.

Think AARP, AMA, and the climate science organizations that attack real scientists.

Sadly, CLEAT appears to have joined that less than elite club.

[harrycallahan]

All I can say is the hard data obtained directly from the CHL program itself renders his statements mute. Mr. Wilkinson should no better than to try such antics. Theatrics aside, when in two years or so what he has said has not materialized, his influence and that of CLEAT will have diminished.

[RoyGBiv]

In addition to what Charles and others have posted, I like to tell people what the former president (maybe executive director, I am not sure anymore) of CLEAT told me. Back when I was an officer and was elected to a director's position in the San Antonio police union, CLEAT was asked why they endorsed candidates for office that almost no police officer would support or vote for. He pointed out that CLEAT is first and foremost a LABOR organization, not a police organization. Its members might be police officers, but the organization is a labor union and endorses candidates for their labor stance.

They know that the conservatives will always support police officers and law enforcement. They take their political stances because it helps them with their labor positions. Note that the traditional political party that is anti-gun is also the traditional party for labor to support. CLEAT knows that it can depend on the support of the Democrats when they bring up labor issues to improve their contracts because they support Democratic positions. They know they can count on the Republican support on their labor issues because no Republican wants to be cast as anti-police. I do not like this hypocrisy but I see it at work and admit it is effective.

Thanks for sharing this insight. My confusion has abated.