Boston police commish "taken aback" by public opposition to door to door gun searches

By Gerard Valentino

Boston.com recently reported that the Boston Police Department delayed its program to institute warrantless searches of people’s homes because of strong opposition to the plan.

OK, even though I’ve read the article four times it hasn’t stopped causing me to hyperventilate. It isn’t that the police administration would actually try to search people’s houses without proper cause or without a warrant, which is bad enough, it is because they are SURPRISED PEOPLE WOULD OBJECT.

As if inviting the police into your home to search without cause is your civic duty or some such nonsense. If such actions don’t cause the good citizens of Boston to fire their current mayor and demand the resignation of the chief of police they never will.

Nothing is more of a breech of trust than having the police ask you to do something that violates your rights and then have them act with indignation when you refuse. I’m an honest, law-abiding citizen and see the lack of logic it would take for someone to allow the police to come in and search. Even under the guise of “immunity” it’s a wrongheaded and tyrannical approach to police work. Such actions have historically led to additional restrictions so how long will it be before the immunity is removed?

Police Unions will tell their members not to talk to investigators if they are involved in a shooting. Then, in a supreme act of hypocrisy, don’t make a peep when their rank and file is asked to do something so immoral it defies words.

Commissioner Edward F. Davis is seemingly the singular villain in this drama. The Boston.com article claims he was “taken aback” by the opposition to his ridiculous plan. Well, I’m taken aback by the arrogance and ignorance shown by Commissioner Davis. His self-righteousness is worthy of our scorn, vilification and utter distrust.

Being a police administrator implies a certain amount of good judgment and intelligence when it comes to solving problems. It also involves a healthy dose of respect for the public being served in order for the public to respect the actions of the Commissioner. Clearly the Commissioner’s attitude lacks respect for the people and the Constitution he is sworn to uphold and protect.

There is no other explanation, not for his original bad idea, but for his reaction when people were opposed. He was sincerely amazed since he thought besieged parents would want the government’s help.

Want more proof that Davis lacks any link to reality? Sorry, here it is anyway.

He picked several low income areas riddled with high crime as the locations for his misguided plan. As if the people in those communities, who have already been failed by city government, want the police to spend time searching their house instead of taking crack dealers, rapists and murders off of the street.

I grew up in a relatively crime laden area near Chicago and we would NEVER let the police in our house. Whether that was right or wrong isn’t the point. The point is that Davis somehow thought a population who is distrustful of the police would trust them under these circumstances.

Boston Police Spokesperson Elaine Driscoll points out that they are “genuinely trying to save lives.” Using public safety an excuse to infringe on people’s rights is a common ploy of government. The people of Boston, or any other city, don’t need the police to come into their homes in an effort to protect them. Instead, the police should be out on the street doing their rightful job – catching criminals. Commissioner Davis and his gang of helpers should concentrate on letting the rank and file police officer do their job instead of tying them up in a deliberate act of tyranny.

I stopped hyperventilating and can go on…wait, not yet…..where is that paper bag?

OK, let’s continue, shall we? Feel free to hyperventilate amongst yourselves if necessary.

While I’m all for innovative police work, asking law-abiding people to open their homes to unfounded searches is absurd. Such an idea should be grounds for immediately dismissal from the law enforcement community.

Demanding that the good citizens of Boston harbor troops and allow British troops to search homes for weapons, ball and powder caused the good citizens to rise up in revolution. Based on the actions of the Police Commissioner, he must not have read much American history or he somehow thinks the good people of Boston are now rendered helpless.

I can guarantee Davis' reaction in this case is grounds for dismissal from the community of free people everywhere. Usually when someone acts is such an irrational manner it is followed by a hearing to determine whether that person is competent to handle their own affairs, or to find out whether they are a danger to society. The obvious answer is we know Davis is a danger to a free society and I would vote that he is also out of his flipping mind.

No, that isn’t too harsh of a statement. In fact, I feel guilty for lumping Davis in with people who have true mental illnesses. I have a relative who has a serious mental illness and he is far more competent to deal with daily life than this buffoon. He also is less of a threat to society. Come to think of it, my guess is most of the criminally insane don’t meet the same threshold of danger to society as Davis.

Wait, I can’t breathe and am blacking out again.

There is an old joke that if the government shows up at your door with the words “we’re the government and here to help” you should NEVER open the door.

Now, as time goes on, it is likely more police departments will see what Boston and Washington D.C are doing and come to you and offer help.

Well, all I can say is if this stupidity arrives in your town - don’t open the door.

I need that paper bag again.

Gerard Valentino is the Buckeye Firearms Association Central Ohio Chair, writes for the ValentinoChronicle.com and teaches the Ohio Concealed Carry class through Center Mass LTD.