Victoria Newspaper on replica guns

[Original_Gangster]

Police: Wielding a replica gun can get you killed

Judith Lavoie, Times Colonist
Published: Tuesday, January 16, 2007

Police in Victoria are seizing at least one replica handgun a week and it is only a matter of time before someone dies, Victoria police Insp. Les Sylven warned yesterday.

Police are forced to make a split-second decision when faced by someone wielding a weapon which looks, feels and, sometimes, even sounds real, Sylven said.

"I have had my coffee and I am fresh and alert and I can't tell the difference," said Sylven, looking at an array of black and metal weapons, laid out on a table. Some shoot pellets and others are simply for show.

"Put that at 3 a.m. in a dark alley, when a police officer has to decide whether that's real. It's a defining moment," he said.

In October, a 37-year-old Pitt Meadows man was shot and killed by police after he produced a handgun, which was later found to be a replica.

Police frustration is growing as the law does not forbid carrying a replica gun in public, although, if it is used in the commission of a crime, it is treated in the same way as if it was a real weapon.

"Should there be a ban on them? Talk to any police officer and any police officer's family and they would say there should be a ban on them," Sylven said.

On Sunday, Victoria police responded to a call from a member of the public about a man openly carrying a gun.

"We knew him to be someone we meet downtown quite often -- a street-level drug dealer," Sylven said.

But the gun turned out to be a replica, so the man was released without charges.

Often, police have to question whether they can even seize the fake weapon, he said.

The sight of apparently deadly guns on downtown streets affects passers-by and the abundance of replica weapons is costing thousands of taxpayer dollars and using valuable police time, Sylven said.

Some incidents are dealt with by police officers on the beat, but, frequently, the full emergency response team, with 20 to 30 officers, is called out to a gun incident.

Each report has to be treated as if it is a real weapon, said Sylven, who cannot yet estimate the cost of incidents around the seizure of 65 replica weapons last year.

Sometimes, roads, bridges or buildings have to be closed as police investigate the weapons report, he said.

"It happens all the time and primarily, we don't want someone to get hurt."

In Victoria, all replica guns have been seized from men. "In all my time, I don't think I've ever had a female with one," Sylven said.

The weapons can be bought online -- with assurances they are perfectly legal in Canada -- from sporting goods and chain stores.

Sometimes, parents purchase them for their children, said Rebecca Wellman, of the police property and supply section.

"We've had one incident where a mother called to get the replica gun back for her son," she said incredulously.

Parents should be reminded of the extreme risks, Sylven said.

"If you do possess one, assume police are going to react as if it's a real weapon."


Thought the community would like to read this. FYI.

[HaZarD SFD]

Ok seriously this shit is getting worse. I am not looking forward to
this year if all this replica shit keeps up.

Looks like we might have to hide all the guns at my place. PM ME FOR ADDRESS!

[BloodSport]

Sorry Hazard, its part of my mod agreement.

I hide (get) the guns, Tru takes the heat, HoJo gets blamed for Tru not eating and living in the basement under duress.

[thephenom]

Psssh, my offer is still better. I offer free shipping!

[HaZarD SFD]

Screw it if all hell breaks loose we should all hang them from the ceiling and
put a light on them.

"Honestly officer its a new Fashion Design by HK" Just make sure that when
you turn on and off the lights that it doesnt shoot.

[trufret]

if they are so concerned about this why are they letting these retards off with just the destruction of their gun. If you're stupid enough to pull an airsoft gun on a cop or use it to commit a crime you deserve whatever you would get for doing it with a real gun whether it be jail time or a bullet. I really wish these people would temp Darwinism with autoeroitc asphyxiation or something equally laughable instead of this

[thephenom]

Must be another slow news day.

[Kimbo]

Whats the difference is its an airsoft gun, or anything that resembles a gun ie:black waterpistol. I'm sure that no-one, cop or otherwise, will be able to destinguish it from a real firearm when it is pointed at you from anything over 20 feet especially if it's in the dark. Start incarcerating or fineing the shit out of these guys for public mischief or something.

[Lakonian]

Meh, this has been going on since I joined. Not worried at all. If you excersise proper safe storage, you'll be fine.

Anyway.. that guy should've got curbed.

[Ibby]

I'm from Victoria. That rag of a newspaper couldn't be more hippie-centric if it were printed on hemp paper. The police in the city are faced with 2 major groups that are often at odds with each other: the rich folk who pretty much own the city, and the hippie tree hugging retards that do nothing but protest any little thing they can focus on.
Like any police, they're just fine if you approach them in a reasonable manner. I lived in a condo right downtown for a few years, 2 blocks from the police station. I'd often find druggies shooting up or hookers turning tricks the the driveway of my building. I called the cops the first few times, but nothing ever happened as a result. They're stretched pretty thin as it is. Now I know this is generally a stupid move, and I DO NOT condone it in any way, but after getting frustrated about these shitbiscuits leaving their needles and condoms in my driveway, whenever I'd see them I'd grab a GBB and shoot at them til they fucked off. Again, I DO NOT recommend anyone else doing this, and yes I am a retard for doing it myself. In my circumstance my condo was arranged in such a manner that I could do all this with the public being unable to view any of it. I imagine that's why my building's driveway was such a draw for these folks.
My building had been broken into a couple of times, and the scuzzbags took stuff from the store rooms in the basement, including a ton of my issued kit. Both times the police were called as per normal, and I had to run home from work for a bit to deal with it. The attending officers both times recognized me as "the guy who shoots the druggies". They got a chuckle out of it, and urged me to keep it low key, which I did. So there's another side of the same police office that you'll never read about in the paper. Especially the Times Communist.

Again, please don't be a goof and do what I did. It just ain't cool.

[tito_1985]

Originally Posted by Ibby

They're stretched pretty thin as it is. Now I know this is generally a stupid move, and I DO NOT condone it in any way, but after getting frustrated about these shitbiscuits leaving their needles and condoms in my driveway, whenever I'd see them I'd grab a GBB and shoot at them til they fucked off.

So what you are saying is that you assaulted a person using a replica firearm. See this is the stuff that we can't let happen in our community. You could have done something other than putting our sport in danger. Good job buddy way to think that one through.

[flack]

Originally Posted by Ibby

Now I know this is generally a stupid move, and I DO NOT condone it in any way, but after getting frustrated about these shitbiscuits leaving their needles and condoms in my driveway, whenever I'd see them I'd grab a GBB and shoot at them til they fucked off. Again, I DO NOT recommend anyone else doing this, and yes I am a retard for doing it myself. In my circumstance my condo was arranged in such a manner that I could do all this with the public being unable to view any of it. I imagine that's why my building's driveway was such a draw for these folks.

wtf... Ill keep it clean... but you are retarded.

[Gryphon]

"Should there be a ban on them? Talk to any police officer and any police officer's family and they would say there should be a ban on them," Sylven said.

What BS. Talk to any firefighter and they'll tell you there should be a ban on candles, fireplaces, and matchsticks. Talk to any paramedic and they'll tell you there should be a ban on stairs, heights, and sharp instruments.

[Killz]

Well a kid brought one to the high school in the city I live in and had a lock down and a lot of police where tied up for an afternoon. 3 months later the city is try to ban the sales of them here, just herd that on the new today.

[Pip]

We should just ban stupidity...nice and simple solution.

Take your pick as to what method we should use to enforce this. Personally i support the "chuck them off a big arse cliff" approach, but thats just me.