Did New York Governor Andrew Cuomo start a trend with his gun bounty program?
I previously commented on a program there involving an anonymous hotline that offers a $500 bounty to informers of illegal gun possession. This year the program is often attributed to the January 2013 "Secure Ammunition and Firearms Enforcement (SAFE)" law but it's actually been in existence for 1-2 years already. It was so well used that police didn't know it existed, literally. It's gained much more attention since SAFE was passed and reportedly is now advertised on billboards.
It appears this didn't originate in New York though. This January 2013 article briefly describes a similar program from Newark New Jersey Mayor Cory Booker. Booker's program pays $1000 though. I guess New Jersey's guns are worth twice as much as New York's, or maybe they perceive having twice the problem in New Jersey that New York does, or maybe they're twice as rich, or maybe the price of a New Jersey "snitch" is twice that of a New York "snitch".
"...the mayor says in a television commercial. “There is a small group of people in our city that thinks they can walk around with guns. It is unacceptable. But we can’t just wish this would stop. We can’t just hope this will stop. We as individuals have to do something about it.” " That "walk around with guns" thing, that's called the 2nd Amendment to our US Constitution and it's described as "bear arms" and it's PERFECTLY ACCEPTABLE and lawful under our constitution!
" “So we have a program in our city right now that’s completely anonymous and we will give you cash,” he continues, “$1,000 to anyone who calls our anonymous tip line. Give us the information about who is carrying a gun and we don’t even have to have a conviction. We arrest that individual and simply get that gun off the streets.” " Yeah, that can't and won't be abused. They pay informers for an ARREST, NOT CONVICTION! Who pays for a false arrest or one where the charges are later dropped? The innocent citizen exercising their right to "bear arms" and taxpayers!
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Integrity check: After writing this post I watched the 2:42 video embedded in the article of Mayor Booker promoting this program. His presentation seems honest enough and the program does seem focused on criminals with guns. With so much anti-gun-mania since Newtown I have to admit skepticism and bias in support of 2nd Amendment and gun rights. I still worry about abuse of a program like this. Even perhaps with only good, lawful intentions, too many lawful firearms owners have been heavily, financially victimized by anti-gun government programs and officials. There NEEDS to be protection for the innocent that does NOT involve months or years of bureaucracy, lawsuits, and rights infringement and WITHOUT financial penalty!
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http://www.theblaze.com/stories/2013/01/07/cory-booker-offering-1000-reward-for-info-on-illegally-owned-guns/
And it's not just New York and New Jersey. In May 2013, Florida lawmakers also approved a program. This one isn't gun specific but there's a hotline ("snitch" line) for people to report others to government authorities. Is it more or less concerning when it's described by Palm Beach County Sheriff Ric Bradshaw as "We want people to call us if the guy down the street says he hates the government, hates the mayor and he’s gonna shoot him,"? There have been other, harsh, descriptions provided by others. That "shoot him" part seems reasonable, if it's perceived as a legitimate and imminent threat, but others are focusing on the "hate" part and concerned about abuse of a 'service' like this.
"“What does it hurt to have somebody knock on a door and ask, ‘Hey, is everything OK?’”" What does it hurt? Really? This kind of 'community concern' has, in 2013, resulted in multiple government agencies teaming together for coercion, attempted violation of people's rights, attempted firearms registration / confiscation, and threatening to remove a child from the home where no abuse or negligence had taken place and no law was broken.
Why is this necessary anyway? And why does it need a separate $1M in funding? Don't we already have something called the "911 emergency" line and "police non-emergency" numbers? If it's not distinctly different, like trying to capture 'government haters', then why does it even exist?
At least this one appears to not offer 'bounties' or rewards that incentivize people to abuse it.
http://www.thenewamerican.com/usnews/crime/item/15319-florida-snitch-line-urges-citizens-to-report-neighbors
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