Bingo Players Vote 17-1 To Support Municipal Donation of Firearm to Retiring Police Officers

Periodically, I call bingo at a small community made up of old farts like me. It's actually quite dangerous,  I've barely escaped with my life a few times when I've made mistakes here and there. I try to stay on their good side. Last week, during the intermission of about 300 games, I got up and polled them informally on this question: Should a municipality give a retiring police officer in good standing his firearm as a keepsake? There was no debate. I just asked those who supported this donation to raise their hands, and then asked those who opposed this donation to raise their hands.  

By a 17-1 margin, with one abstention, these bingo players supported the donation. Afterwards, they made a few points. They noted that retired police officers have stopped crimes in progress. They observed that retired police officers are better trained than most in the proper use of handguns. Finally, they argued that this is the least a municipality could do for someone who risks his life every time he puts on a uniform.  

The one person who voted against this donation thinks he owns Hackett Park. 

Last week, Bethlehem City Council had a similar vote. Instead of a donation, they were considering a resolution that would sell retiring police officer's handgun to him for a few hundred dollars. This resolution was much closer. It was a 5-1 vote, and could easily have been a 4-2 vote. 

Hillary Kwiatek was the sole No vote. Her specious arguments against the sale were as follows. 

First, she argued that more children are dying from firearms than any other cause. That's certainly true, but there no causal connection between those unfortunate deaths and retired police officers. 

Her second argument is police officers have high suicide rates, and allowing them to keep firearms makes that possibility more likely. She failed to note whether suicide rates among retired police officers is high. Doctors and dentists have high suicide rates as well. Under her logic, they should have no access to drugs. 

The reason this could have been a 4-2 vote is because Council member Kiera Wilhelm said the only reason she voted No is because otherwise, the gun would be sold to some third party. If the City just destroyed the weapon, she'd support a ban on sales. 

Based on my bingo poll, I'd say that both Kwiatek and Wilhem are completely out if touch. What they also fail to realize is that their attitude insults the very people who keep them safe.  

Retired Deputy Sheriff Sues For ID Card

A retired Deputy Sheriff with a distinguished history in law enforcement has sued Northampton County Sheriff David Dalrymple. A Complaint filed today is asking a Judge to order Sheriff Dalrymple to provide retired Deputy Patrick Cubbage with a Retired Law Enforcement Identification Card. The complaint contends that the federal Law Enforcement Officers Safety Act requires that these cards be issued upon request.

The complaint was filed by Attorney Jill Mancini, a former Assistant County Solicitor, and also seeks $2,000 in attorney's fees.

Before retiring in December, Cubbage served as a Deputy Sheriff for nine years.

He comes from Philly, where he started as a cop in 1970. He worked his way up to become a County Detective with the District Attorney’s Office, Chief Inspector in the Sheriff’s Office and Bail Commissioner with the Philadelphia Municipal Court.

When terror struck on September 11, 2001, Cubbage handled the emergency deployment of military aircraft and personnel from Philly into New York’s ground zero. He also signed on to a Faith Based team, which organized relief efforts and spiritual guidance to the law enforcement officers traumatized by the disaster. He is part of the Evangelistic Rapid Response Team and was a Police Chaplin.

A retired officer with this kind of identification may carry a concealed weapon. But is a Deputy Sheriff, as a matter of law, a law.enforcement officer?

Sheriff Dalrymple declined comment.

Open Carry Laws Exclude Sportsmen

Jerry Seyfried, Home Rule Charter Expert

Last month, Philadelphia had to cough up $25k to a gun rights advocate who was wearing his handgun openly in a holster, scaring the hell out of police and nearly getting everyone shot. Since that time, officers have been educated.

Former County Exec Jerry Seyfried is an avid sportsman and an expert archer. It's tough for him to carry a bow and arrow in a holster, but he tries. He's asked me to tell you about Pa. Open Carry, which should be able to answer most questions.

Although Pa. is a right to carry state, Jerry has this caution for sportsmen:

As a hunter, may you carry a handgun without a "carry permit" or a "sportsmen carry permit"? Since this is a right to carry state, you shouln't need a permit. However, game laws are also enacted by the Legislature and therefore make certain mandates on the sportsmen and women of Pennsylvania. The answer to the question is "YES". As a sportsman you need a carry permit or a sportsmen permit to carry a handgun. You may not hunt without it nor may you fish and wear a sidearm or carry a concealed weapon without the proper permit. Remember the website is.....paopencarry.org


Now go whip some shit on your beer drinking buddies. If you have any questions on this subject please don't hesitate to ask me those questions. I'm starting to become quite an authority on this issue. dumdeedumdum