Amid cuts, Ohio judge tells citizens to carry guns

Amid cuts, Ohio judge tells citizens to carry guns


Apr 9 05:34 PM US/Eastern
By THOMAS J. SHEERAN
Associated Press Writer


CLEVELAND (AP) - One judge's solution for citizens feeling less secure because of budget cuts in an Ohio county: Carry a gun.

Judge Alfred Mackey of Ashtabula County Common Pleas Court advised residents Friday to be vigilant and arm themselves because the number of deputies has been cut about in half because of a tight budget. He also urged neighbors to organize anti-crime block watch groups.

"They have to be law-abiding, and if they are not familiar with firearms they need to take a safety course so they are not a threat to their family and friends and themselves," Mackey said Friday.

Mackey, whose comments were first broadcast Thursday by WKYC-TV in Cleveland, was expressing concerns with budget cuts that have trimmed the sheriff's department from 112 to 49 deputies in the county, which is Ohio's largest by land area.

Asked by WKYC how people should respond to the cuts and limited patrols, he said, "Arm themselves. Be very careful and just be vigilant because we're going to have to look after each other."

Andrew Pollis, who teaches law at Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland, saw the original TV clip of Mackey and said it was clear the judge wasn't advocating vigilantism.

Still, Pollis said, snippets of the comments could be misunderstood "as a license, if you will, to engage in conduct which we as a society collectively would not want."

In Akron, Summit County Common Pleas Judge Patricia Cosgrove, president-elect of the Ohio Common Pleas Judges Association, said she was surprised by Mackey's suggestion.

"That's scary to me," she said. "I don't know what the situation in Ashtabula County is. I personally would never—that's a personal choice in terms of carrying a weapon."

With deputies assigned to transport prisoners and serve warrants, only one radio car is assigned to patrol the county of 720 square miles, excluding municipalities with police departments. The sheriff's patrol area covers most of the county, the judge said Friday.

Mackey said the response to his comments has been positive in the mostly rural county between Cleveland and Erie, Pa.

"People in this county are hunters," said Mackey, who grew up on a farm with rifles and still owns firearms. "People have familiarity with firearms."

[baileydog]

I live in Ohio and I can tell you alot of people have a carry conceal license. Its not a good idea to road rage here cause the other guy might be packing.

[DEEKAYPEE8569]

Originally Posted by EmptyTimCup

MY wish is, that MD lawmakers would wake the H*ll up and make Maryland "Shall Issue." AFTER the break in, attack, rape, car-jacking or robbery or whatever has happened, IT'S TOO LATE, but if we law-abiding Marylanders were ALL legally licensed to carry a gun, the crime rate would plummet.

My n-d-n is a police officer. He told me, 'let 'em come inside first.' 'THEN you can "light 'em up." ' That's [I]fine for home protection, but if you're on the road or out in town for whatever reason; minding your own; and you're mugged, robbed, whatever; being "armed" with a cell phone and calling the cops after you come to; if you even have the cell phone after being jumped; what good does it do? My opinion is end the situation before it gets to that point.

I can defend myself if you come at me empty-handed. But what degenerate criminal mugs or attacks someone without some kind of weapon these days? Few, if none at all. So if you come at me with a machete and want my wallet or my car; if I'm 'packin'', you're toast. Of course, if you already have a gun pointed at me, take whatever you want. The unspoken fear that MD lawmakers have is that Maryland will become like the OK Corral and there will be gunfights at 'high noon' or shootouts in the street.

I'll reference Tennesse again; a "Shall-Issue" state. No one hears a whole lot about robberies or muggings in Tennessee. Know why? Cuz if somebody in Tennesse gets jumped, the jumper gets shot. I'll say again; Tennesseeans (sp?) are some of the most polite folks you'd ever wanna meet. Wether it's because of the "Southern thing" or the fact that you don't know if that guy you passed in the parking lot is 'packing' or not, there isn't a whole lot of crime in Tennessee; and the shootings you do hear about are justified; ie; home invasions, prevented car-jackings, etc..

MAKE MARYLAND "SHALL ISSUE" AND OUR CRIME RATE WILL DROP.

(Insert Vince's tagline about bullet speed)

[chernmax]

Pro MD CCW...

I already have one for VA and FL

[ImnoMensa]

Originally Posted by chernmax

Pro MD CCW...

I already have one for VA and FL

When seconds count, police are only minutes away.

[2ndAmendment]

Originally Posted by DEEKAYPEE8569

MY wish is, that MD lawmakers would wake the H*ll up and make Maryland "Shall Issue." AFTER the break in, attack, rape, car-jacking or robbery or whatever has happened, IT'S TOO LATE, but if we law-abiding Marylanders were ALL legally licensed to carry a gun, the crime rate would plummet.

My n-d-n is a police officer. He told me, 'let 'em come inside first.' 'THEN you can "light 'em up." ' That's [I]fine for home protection, but if you're on the road or out in town for whatever reason; minding your own; and you're mugged, robbed, whatever; being "armed" with a cell phone and calling the cops after you come to; if you even have the cell phone after being jumped; what good does it do? My opinion is end the situation before it gets to that point.

I can defend myself if you come at me empty-handed. But what degenerate criminal mugs or attacks someone without some kind of weapon these days? Few, if none at all. So if you come at me with a machete and want my wallet or my car; if I'm 'packin'', you're toast. Of course, if you already have a gun pointed at me, take whatever you want. The unspoken fear that MD lawmakers have is that Maryland will become like the OK Corral and there will be gunfights at 'high noon' or shootouts in the street.

I'll reference Tennesse again; a "Shall-Issue" state. No one hears a whole lot about robberies or muggings in Tennessee. Know why? Cuz if somebody in Tennesse gets jumped, the jumper gets shot. I'll say again; Tennesseeans (sp?) are some of the most polite folks you'd ever wanna meet. Wether it's because of the "Southern thing" or the fact that you don't know if that guy you passed in the parking lot is 'packing' or not, there isn't a whole lot of crime in Tennessee; and the shootings you do hear about are justified; ie; home invasions, prevented car-jackings, etc..

MAKE MARYLAND "SHALL ISSUE" AND OUR CRIME RATE WILL DROP.

(Insert Vince's tagline about bullet speed)

I agree.

But you can already legally conceal carry in your home, business, or on your private property or the property of others with permission in Maryland. You can open carry in the same places and on many public lands where hunting is allowed during hunting season.

Some good news: The "castle doctrine" bill got voted out of committee to the floor for a vote on Wednesday. I have no news since then.

[BOP]

Originally Posted by baileydog

I live in Ohio and I can tell you alot of people have a carry conceal license. Its not a good idea to road rage here cause the other guy might be packing.

An armed society is a polite society, so the old Texas saying goes.

The libs will no doubt crucify the judge for those remarks.

[aps45819]

Originally Posted by BOP

The libs will no doubt crucify the judge for those remarks.

the concept that the individual is responsible for their own safety has become very un-American

[edinsomd]

Guns are loud and scary....