By Steve Pomper
The insults against America’s cops keep on coming. This one from New York State comes in the form of what was to be a ban on off-duty officers carrying firearms at the New York State Fair in Albany.
An even more insulting irony will occur on Aug. 29th, which, according to the Mid-Hudson News, is “Law Enforcement Day.” The fair’s website reads, “We honor the men and women of law enforcement in New York State with free admission to any active or retired law enforcement or corrections personnel who presents a badge or picture ID from the department from which they are or were employed.”
If disarming cops is honoring them, what would dishonoring them look like?
How in the world does any reasonably sane person arrive at the conclusion a crowded fair is safer when you disarm off-duty cops (Oh, I see what I did there: reasonably sane)?
Officers pointed out officers carry concealed when they’re not on duty. When I first joined my department, officers were required to carry while in the city. But since it’s Seattle, that is no longer a requirement but officer choice (which is still surprising for them).
Officers told Mid-Hudson, “We are highly trained and proficient in de-escalation tactics but also have considerable firearms training,” said a state trooper who asked to remain anonymous. ‘Cops carry guns regardless of their work hours,’ she said. ‘We are never truly ‘off-duty’ and data shows that off-duty officers have repeatedly stepped-up and thwarted situations that put the public at risk.’”
The trooper pointed out something that should be obviously to reasonable people. But, it seems, that does not include the New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets. They’re the ones who initially prohibited officers from carrying off duty at the fair. Showing just how deep the anti-cop deep state is, even at the state level.
The “privilege,” of informing the state’s officers they wouldn’t be trusted to be armed at the fair fell to N.Y. State Police Troop D Commander Major Michael TenEyck. The major said the email read, “Police officers that are ‘on-duty’ will be permitted to carry, however, the State Dept of Ag and Markets has elected to NOT allow ‘off-duty’ police and peace officers to carry department or personally owned firearms on the property.”
Major TenEyck distanced the state police from the policy change, saying, “the policy change was not their decision.” This is not surprising since this new policy also insults their off-duty troopers who, by definition, have jurisdiction throughout the state, including the fairgrounds.
An “Editor’s Note,” (update) provided by Police1.com, read, “According to Gov. Kathy Hochul, off-duty officers will be allowed to carry concealed firearms during this year’s state fair in New York. Off-duty officers will need to provide their badge at the gate in order to carry. The policy, Hochul said, is not changing this year — despite an earlier memo sent out by State Police — and came down to a miscommunication.”
So, since this came from anti-cop Gov. Kathy Hochul, I’m calling B.S. You’ll also notice she said, “not changing this year.” And “miscommunication” sounds more like throwing the state police major under the proverbial bus. Could it be she’s amending the order because there happens to be an election approaching?
There are plenty of adjectives that I could use when describing Gov. Hochul, but, I suppose, politician conveys the proper meaning. So, the hits keep coming against the proud law enforcement profession.
Another irony, aside from their insincere cop appreciation day, is that people like that presume to stand in judgement of people whose hiring process they could never pass, whose oath they don’t believe in, and whose job they could never do.