This is Fascinating on Several Levels

SayUncle linked to this story in the Kentucky Post online edition:

NKU Awarded Grant For Patrol Rifles

Web Produced: Jessica Noll
Email: Jessica.Noll@kypost.com
Last Update: 2/25 4:13 pm

FRANKFORT, Ky. –Northern Kentucky University has been awarded $10,660 from the state Law Enforcement Protection Program (LEPP) to purchase patrol rifles, Gov. Steve Beshear announced Thursday.

Under the LEPP, administered by the Kentucky Office of Homeland Security (KOHS), appropriate agencies can seek financial help for certain defensive items essential in the course of their duties.

"These funds will help ensure that our law enforcement will not be out-gunned and increase security on campus," state Sen. Katie Kratz Stine, of Southgate, said.

In conjunction with the Kentucky State Police (KSP), KOHS derives income from sales of confiscated weapons.

KSP conducts periodic auctions – only to federally licensed firearms dealers – which generate dollars for the LEPP initiative. The KOHS then assesses needs, and after prioritization, provides whatever funds are available in the acquisition of body armor, weapons, ammunition and electronic or muscular disruption technical devices often referred to as tasers.

"Although statewide appeals for financial support always exceed resources, we place the highest priority on personal safety of our law enforcement officers," Thomas L. Preston, KOHS executive director, said.

"Decisions about other aspects of this program are based on several factors including absolute need for monetary assistance combined with overall effectiveness in combating crime through our grants," he explained.

LEPP support goes to police agencies of cities, counties, charter counties, unified counties, urban-counties and consolidated local governments, sheriff’s departments and public university police departments.

First off, a college was just given a grant by the Kentucky Office of Homeland Security to buy EVIL BLACK RIFLES. These are the rifles that the Brady Campaign swears

...are equipped with combat hardware. Combat features like high-capacity ammunition magazines, pistol grips, folding stocks, and bayonets, which are not found on sporting guns, are designed specifically to facilitate the killing of human beings in battle.

These combat features include:

• A large-capacity ammunition magazine which enables the shooter to continuously fire dozens of rounds without reloading. Many assault weapons come equipped with large ammunition magazines allowing more than 50 bullets to be fired without reloading. Standard hunting rifles are usually equipped with no more than 3 or 4-shot magazines;
• A folding stock which facilitates maximum concealability and mobility in close combat (which comes at the expense of the accuracy desired in a hunting weapon);
• A pistol grip which facilitates spray-fire from the hip without losing control. A pistol grip also facilitates one-handed shooting;
• A barrel shroud which enables the shooter to shoot many rounds because it cools the barrel, preventing overheating. It also allows the shooter to grasp the barrel area to stabilize the weapon, without incurring serious burns, during rapid fire; (I thought that was the shoulder thing that goes up? No?)
• A threaded barrel designed to accommodate a flash suppressor which allows the shooter to remain concealed when shooting at night, an advantage in combat but unnecessary for hunting or sporting purposes. In addition, the flash suppressor is useful for providing stability during rapid fire;
• A threaded barrel designed to accommodate a silencer which allows an assassin to shoot without making noise;
• A barrel mount designed to accommodate a bayonet which allows someone to stab a person at close quarters in battle.

What on EARTH does a COLLEGE need with weapons like THESE?!?!

As an aside, the Brady Campaign ranks Kentucky very low on its Gun Laws Scorecard, giving it a mere two (2) points because in Kentucky "Colleges are not forced to allow firearms on campus."

Unless they're in the hands of Only Ones law-enforcement personnel.

Which brings up the second fascinating point of this story, the fact that the University feels a need for these "patrol rifles" stating that they "will help ensure that our law enforcement will not be out-gunned and increase security on campus".

Out-gunned?

Out-gunned by whom? Isn't NKU a "gun-free zone"? Aren't there signs posted to let potential bad-guys know that they aren't allowed to bring a gun onto campus? I mean, the Brady Campaign gave Kentucky a measly TWO POINTS because that's the ONLY restrictive gun law that Kentucky appears to have on the books! Who are the campus cops so afraid of that they need these spray-firing bullet hoses designed only "to kill large numbers of human beings quickly and efficiently"? And then filet them with the bayonet?

The third fascinating point is that the money to purchase these engines of destruction came "from sales of confiscated weapons." It seems that the Kentucky State Police periodically auction off - "only to federally licensed firearms dealers" - the firearms they confiscate from bad guys. In Brady parlance, these guns go "back on the street!" Horrors! You mean they don't get melted down and turned into anti-gun sculptures?

Huh. No wonder Paul Helmke and Josh Sugarmann are sad pandas.

And now the National Shooting Sports Foundation is out educating the public (and what little of the media that will pay attention) about these newfangled "Modern Sporting Rifles".

What is the world coming to?

Its senses, one would hope.

Nah. Too much to ask.

UPDATE, 3/3: Over at The Ultimate Answer to Kings, Joel points out one more fascinating point that I completely missed:

. . . my personal favorite is this:

"Although statewide appeals for financial support always exceed resources, we place the highest priority on personal safety of our law enforcement officers," Thomas L. Preston, KOHS executive director, said.

See, there's not a single word in the whole piece about student safety.

Excellent point. And thanks for catching that.