 Larry R. Buechler
Chief of Police
P.O. Box 121, Coal Valley, Illinois 61240
309-799-5416 fax – 309-799-3651
LRBCVcHF@AOL.COM
February 2, 2006
AN OPEN LETTER TO THE MEMBERS OF
THE ILLINOIS ASSOCIATION OF CHIEFS OF POLICE
Dear Fellow Chiefs:
As our troops fight for our freedoms overseas, as have American troops since the
formation of this Republic, I question what freedoms we’ll have left to enjoy, considering
the inclination of our several governmental bodies to enact legislation at the urging of
every “squeaky wheel” group that comes along.
As police chiefs, it is our responsibility to protect the rights, freedoms, and liberties of
those we serve, and I would suggest that the citizens we serve are then ill served by our
support of the proposed ban on so-called assault weapons. While it may be true that “no
law abiding citizen needs an Uzi or and AK-47 to be safe or to hunt,” as the talking
points try to sway us, I would then allow, on the other side of the argument, that it is not
our place to say what a law abiding citizen needs, or does not need. Certainly, the law
abiding citizen does not pose a threat to our officers, or to the public in general for that
matter, through the possession of any firearm. It is the criminal element that poses the
threat. If then you consider the statement true, as I do, that if these weapons are
outlawed, only outlaws will have these weapons, then the legislation proposed does
nothing to negate the threat. Indeed, only the law abiding citizen will follow the
guidelines of the statute, the criminal will not. What then have we accomplished other
than to unfairly restrict or penalize the person that does not pose a threat in the first
place?
There are thousands of sportsmen in this state that do nothing wrong other than to
immerse themselves in the quiet enjoyment of their hobby or pastime with friends and
family. These are collectors, target shooters, and firearms enthusiasts that enjoy the
shooting sports, and are not strictly limited to those seeking a method of self-defense, or
those with an interest in hunting. Let us deal harshly with the person that possesses or
uses any firearm during the commission of a criminal act and leave the innocent man
alone. In my opinion, there is no greater misdeed than to punish the many based on the
unlawful acts of a few, and, with that said, I will close simply by expressing my best
wishes and assurance that I remain,
Sincerely and Respectfully Yours,
Larry R. Buechler
Chief of Police |
