Blame the guns, or the criminals who carry them?

The January 10 issue of the Cincinnati Enquirer contains a story on the proliferation of gun crime into the suburbs, co-written by Jane Prendergast,
Enquirer staff writer. Unfortunately, the story also contains a quote from one law enforcement officer who seem to think that guns, and not the criminals who use them, are the problem:

"It's just ungodly how many guns there are in today's society," says Steven Sarver, police chief in Colerain Township.

Sarver says that, because of Ohio's new concealed-carry law, his officers are taught to ask almost immediately: "Do you have a permit to carry a gun?" He says police have to be prepared for a disturbed motorist to start firing.

"Is it likely? No. Is it possible? Yes," Sarver says. "And because it is possible, that's what police officers have to be worried about."

If gun crime is growing out of control in his jurisdiction, perhaps Chief Sarver needs to look in the mirror, instead of at law-abiding gun owners who are simply trying to protect themselves.

In the same issue of the Enquirer Monday, another story by Pendergast reveals that on the city's most dangerous streets, people who shoot others are rarely caught, prosecuted or sent to jail.

The article talks about how few arrests and
convictions there have been for shootings in
Cincinnati. For instance, in District 1 alone (the 5 sq. mile downtown area) there were 94 non-fatal shootings last year that yielded only 12 arrests, 3 convictions, and 2 jail sentences. (One conviction was for illegal carry, not the shooting, and
the criminal only got three years probation!).

While police blame uncooperative (read: SCARED) witnesses, this story offers more proof that the police can't protect us when they can't put the most violent criminals behind bars.

Thankfully, the stories indicate more citizens are realizing that they themselves are responsible for the protection of themselves their neighborhoods:

"Put a cop on every corner, and there'll still be crime in the middle of the block," says Zeek Childers, an owner of the new Front Porch coffee house in the neighborhood and vice president of the Price Hill Civic Club. "Just more cops isn't the answer. The answer is that people need to invest a little. You know, they call it sweat equity."