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The D.C. police department plans to give patrol officers assault rifles to protect them against criminals with high-powered weapons.
Assistant Police Chief Patrick Burke says the weapons will be provided after the department decides how to rack them in patrol cars. He gave no specific start date. Chief Burke said about 340 officers have been trained already and that they were "trying to get 500 patrol rifles out in our first couple of rounds."
"As violence escalates and ramps up with the weaponry then we've got to match those tactics," Chief Burke said.
The S.W.A.T team already uses similar weapons. The plan is now to get the new semi-automatic rifles into the hands of every day patrol officers. Police said the rifles, kept in officer's squad cars, would be used in "serious" cases, like a bank robber or worse, a campus shooting like Va. Tech.
Police in Prince George's and Montgomery counties say they have seen criminals use more powerful weapons in recent years, and have given officers the option to carry assault rifles.
Arguments for increasing police firepower began more than 10 years ago, when two bank robbers outgunned and overpowered police in north Hollywood, California. Fast forward to 2004 in downtown D.C., when two heavily armed men robbed a series of banks where again the bad guys had the kinds of weapons patrol officers couldn't match.
Police said officers would receive at least 40 hours of training before they get the new rifles.
Many people were on the fence if the whole idea of police carrying such heavy power was good one.
"I am all for it. I'd love to see them get better fire power," said Harold Witt.
D.C. resident, Cynthia James disagreed, "I think we need to take another approach."
"I think it's a great idea, guns deter crimes," said George Washington student, Elliot Daniels.
"I'm not too comfortable, because guns don't change the matter much," said another passerby.
"As long as it stays in the hands of police, I think that's good," said another GW student, Stephanie Upton.
In an effort to make sure that the rifles do stay in the hands of police, they will be specially mounted and locked inside patrol cars as well as special procedures in place as to when police could use the rifles.
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