Upstate New York Sheriff Urges Gun Owners To Always Carry: ‘If You Don’t Have A Gun, You’re Useless’
A local sheriff wants the 10,000 licensed handgun owners in his county to be armed and ready.
It’s being described by opponents as “a call to arms.”
Ulster County Sheriff Paul Van Blarcum posted that call to Facebook Thursday, encouraging citizens “who are licensed to carry a firearm to PLEASE DO SO.”
The Sheriff, a Democrat responsible for the safety and security of about 182,000 people in a rural area about two hours north of New York City, is receiving strong reactions from both sides.
“I urge you to responsibly take advantage of your legal right to carry a firearm. To ensure the safety of yourself and others, make sure you are comfortable and proficient with your weapon, and knowledgeable of the laws in New York State with regards to carrying a weapon and when it is legal to use it,” Van Blarcum’s post adds.
“I also want to remind all Police/Peace Officers both active duty and retired to please carry a weapon whenever you leave your house. We are the thin blue line that is entrusted in keeping this country safe, and we must be prepared to act at any given moment.”
He says he making the request in “light of recent events that have occurred in the United States and around the world.” His post came just one day after 14 people were shot to death in San Bernardino, California.
“Look at all the mass shootings around; people are getting slaughtered and nobody has a gun,” Van Blarcum told the Times Herald-Record. “If you don’t have a gun, you’re useless.”
Not all area law enforcement officers agree.
“He’s basically telling people who have no professional training in combating suspects or stopping lethal threats to carry weapons and take actions they may not even be capable of,” Middletown, NY Police Chief Ramon Bethencourt said, calling Van Blarcum’s post “completely irresponsible.”
And Orange County Sheriff Carl DuBois thinks too many people with guns in an active shooter situation could be dangerous.
“How do the police know who the bad guys are?”
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Image: Screenshot via CBS New York
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