Milwaukee’s Anonymous “Gun Hotline” Lets People Snitch on Their Gun-Owning Neighbors
Posted By Philip Hodges on Jun 23, 2014 | 1 Comment
Milwaukee’s Mayor thinks this will help combat “gun violence.” If you suspect someone to be illegally in possession of a gun, you can call this gun hotline and report that person anonymously so that the police will come to that person’s house and harass him. As Fox 6 Now reported:
Taking aim at gun violence. The more than 200 shootings in the city of Milwaukee so far this year have prompted Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett to form another program in an effort to put an end to the gun violence. A “gun hotline” was announced on Monday. One day later, has anyone made a call?
Milwaukee Police Department Block Captain Dorothy Jean Ray has been part of the neighborhood watch on her block since 1985 — but recent crime has been the most troubling.
Ray watched as 11-year-old Makayla Criss collapsed after she was shot on Sunday evening, June 15th at the Sparkle Foods convenience store near Hopkins and Keefe.
“It’s sad. My heart went out when the child was laying on the sidewalk. She wasn`t moving,” Ray said.
Criss was shot in the leg.
No one is in custody in connection with the shooting.
Milwaukee police have put out a call to the public to help with this case — and on Monday, Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett announced the creation of a confidential gun hotline — where residents can call and anonymously leave information about people who have illegal guns.
People who live in areas impacted by gun violence say they’re thankful for the latest initiative intended to put a stop to it.
“This a genuine and very good idea. I’m all for that, because I want my children to be safe,” Lonnie Smith said.
“Every little bit helps. Give (the guns) up. If you got something going wrong in the house, don’t have (guns) hanging around. Do the right thing,” Ray said.
Since the hotline was created 24 hours ago, police say they’ve received about a dozen calls.
“We expect some good results to come out of it. Any time we can encourage citizens and people who can provide us with information,” MPD Captain Chad Wagner said.
Hopefully the information can lead to a possible suspect or even help prevent someone else from becoming a victim.
“It`s not snitching taking care of your family, your surrounding family — neighbors. That’ s taking care of one another,” Smith said.
Contrary to what Lonnie Smith said above, I think this constitutes as snitching. This means in essence that police can come and harass you even if they have no probable cause or even a reasonable suspicion that you’ve committed a crime. All they’d have is an anonymous phone call from either a paranoid “concerned” citizen or a disgruntled neighbor.
Read more at
http://lastresistance.com/6215/milwaukees-anonymous-gun-hotline-lets-people-snitch-gun-owning-neighbors/#uopR9cwSDzZi8YBq.99
