Federal Wildlife Law Enforcement Officers could lose their weapons?

[canav844]

Bill Would Strip Fed Wildlife Agents of Firearms - Weapons - POLICE Magazine

As written, the Freedom from Over‐Criminalization and Unjust Seizures (FOCUS) Act of 2012 would remove authority from U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and NOAA agents and officers to carry firearms

In a study conducted by the FBI of assaults on conservation law enforcement officers, it was revealed that agents and officers enforcing environmental and natural resource laws were nine times more likely to be assaulted with a dangerous weapon when compared to traditional law enforcement officers.

Bill Text - 112th Congress (2011-2012) - THOMAS (Library of Congress)

• (d) Enforcement-

• • (1) IN GENERAL- Section 6 of the Lacey Act Amendments of 1981 (16 U.S.C. 3375) is amended--

• • • (A) by striking subsection (b);

http://www.fws.gov/le/LawsTreaties/Lacey.pdf

§ 3375. Enforcement
(a) In general
The provisions of this chapter and any regulations issued pursuant thereto shall be enforced by the Secretary, the Secretary of Transportation, or the Secretary of the Treasury. Such Secretary may utilize by agreement, with or without reimbursement, the personnel, services, and facilities of any other Federal agency or any State agency or Indian tribe for purposes of enforcing this chapter.
(b) Powers
Any person authorized under subsection (a) of this section to enforce this chapter may carry firearms; may, when enforcing this chapter, make an arrest without a warrant, in accordance with any guidelines which may be issued by the Attorney General, for any offense under the laws of the United States committed in the person’s presence, or for the commission of any felony under the laws of the United States, if the person has reasonable grounds to believe that the person to be arrested has committed or is committing a felony; may search and seize, with or without a warrant, in accordance with any guidelines which may be issued by the Attorney General; [1] Provided, That an arrest for a felony violation of this chapter that is not committed in the presence or view of any such person and that involves only the transportation, acquisition, receipt, purchase, or sale of fish or wildlife or plants taken or possessed in violation of any law or regulation of any State shall require a warrant; may make an arrest without a warrant for a misdemeanor violation of this chapter if he has reasonable grounds to believe that the person to be arrested is committing a violation in his presence or view; and may execute and serve any subpena, arrest warrant, search warrant issued in accordance with rule 41 of the Federal Rules of Criminal Procedure, or other warrant of civil or criminal process issued by any officer or court of competent jurisdiction for enforcement of this chapter. Any person so authorized, in coordination with the Secretary of the Treasury, may detain for inspection and inspect any vessel, vehicle, aircraft, or other conveyance or any package, crate, or other container, including its contents, upon the arrival of such conveyance or container in the United States or the customs waters of the United States from any point outside the United States or such customs waters, or, if such conveyance or container is being used for exportation purposes, prior to departure from the United States or the customs waters of the United States. Such person may also inspect and demand the production of any documents and permits required by the country of natal origin, birth, or reexport of the fish or wildlife. Any fish, wildlife, plant, property, or item seized shall be held by any person authorized by the Secretary pending disposition of civil or criminal proceedings, or the institution of an action in rem for forfeiture of such fish, wildlife, plants, property, or item pursuant to section 3374 of this title; except that the Secretary may, in lieu of holding such fish, wildlife, plant, property, or item, permit the owner or consignee to post a bond or other surety satisfactory to the Secretary.

Senate Bill S.2062 searchable here Search Bill Text - 112th Congress - THOMAS (Library of Congress)

Given the nature and danger of the job these officers do, I'm amazed at how much authority is gutted here, in the name of reducing penatlies. So far it is just introduced and just sitting in the Senate

 

[littletommy]

I have a hard time believing the government is gonna cut the balls off itself without creating a bigger monster someplace else.

 

[canav844]

I checked Rand Paul's (who introduced the bill) website and couldn't really figure out if there was any read between the lines motive behind this aside from making it so that the penalties are lower and it's harder to enforce these laws; and I keep asking myself who this would benefit.

 

[ISP 5353]

WOW! On its face, this is a bad idea, but I can't help feeling there is a hidden agenda at work here.

 

[Whosyer]

I checked Rand Paul's (who introduced the bill) website and couldn't really figure out if there was any read between the lines motive behind this aside from making it so that the penalties are lower and it's harder to enforce these laws; and I keep asking myself who this would benefit.

Gibson Guitar Wails on Federal Raid - WSJ.com

 

[rambone]

Next they'll tell us that NASA will be losing its SWAT Team.

 

[ghunter]

I definitely get the idea of not putting a guy in jail because his deer license is a day expired, but there are conventional crimes that occur in the national parks jurisdiction. Having a bunch of paper tigers enforcing common sense laws against theft, battery, etc. is just silly.

 

[Mgderf]

I definitely get the idea of not putting a guy in jail because his deer license is a day expired, ...

^ I don't! Hunting on an "expired" license is poaching, and that needs to be curtailed.

 

[thebishopp]

^ I don't! Hunting on an "expired" license is poaching, and that needs to be curtailed.

Yes because hunting is a privilege and not a right...

 

[Hammerhead]

Next they'll tell us that NASA will be losing its SWAT Team.

No, they'll just eliminate the Shuttle Door Gunner position.

 

[lashicoN]

^ I don't! Hunting on an "expired" license is poaching, and that needs to be curtailed.

Your ancestor's license was expired when he hunted and ate the food that spawned your existence on this planet.

 

[Bunnykid68]

Do not poach the Kings deer, that is very bad.

 

[Kirk Freeman]

Given the nature and danger of the job these officers do, I'm amazed at how much authority is gutted here, in the name of reducing penatlies.

You are amazed?

Give how Wildlife is running amuck in the USA don't you think something is going to punch back twice as hard?

Take their guns quickly, take their guns away quickly.

There's a WHOLE BUNCH more we need added.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V5IYGroW1nA

 

[rich8483]

before watching the gibson vid, i would say that enforcing wildlife laws against hunters who would be armed with officers who are not is dumb, which i think it is, but they do a lot enforcing that has NOTHING to do with wildlife in reality and things like gibson guitars... if there was a real violation should have been hadled in court or with a fine, not with an armed raid.

stripping their guns across the board might not be wise. limiting their use greatly might be much better.

 

[rich8483]

^ I don't! Hunting on an "expired" license is poaching, and that needs to be curtailed.

reading a book in a deer blind on tuesday is fine and dandy. same book, same blind on wednesday and you are stealing Obama's deer.

 

[Hammerhead]

reading a book in a deer blind on tuesday is fine and dandy. same book, same blind on wednesday and you are stealing Obama's deer.

Unless you're using that book to commit death by a thousand paper cuts to a deer, sitting and reading isn't a crime.

Nor is sitting, reading and being armed.

I don't agree with your analogy.

 

[CarmelHP]

Why does every Tom, Dick, and Harry bureaucrat need to pack heat? We've allowed a large, disguised standing army to rise up in our midst, right under our very noses. We even have people who should know better saying how wonderful that it. Disarm them all. Make them ask permission from the states in which they serve for armed assistance or they do without.

 

[Caldad]

Crazy! Yet the Dept. of Education keeps their shotguns and law enforcement division.