Oh, the horror of the above!!!
I think the problem here is that everyone just automatically thinks that an AR slinged on the body = at the ready. Well, that may be true to some extent, but last time I checked, they don't make holsters for long guns. Technically, most cops OC, so should we complain and make cops CC their guns, so they are less "at the ready?"
I do think the chief in this case is allowing some emotion to guide his logic, but at the same time, I'm not seeing him demand his officers deploy the rifles. To me, this policy is fine. There is nothing wrong with giving an officer an option to get a weapon that:
#1: Has more ammo capacity.
#2: Better accuracy.
#3: More stopping power.
It seems that some folks here are just automatically expecting every W. Memphis PD officer to be wearing their rifle for the entire shift. If not that, then on every traffic stop an officer will have a rifle. I doubt that will happen, but depending on the officers, I guess it could happen. Many are likely going to leave the rifle in the car, unless they have suspicions of danger while involved in the stop.
That last sentence sounds an awful lot like common sense.
