Rochester Police Union President Questions NY Safe Act
The Rochester Police Union is raising questions and concerns about the passage of the New York Safe Act. The Locust Club President says the new gun laws can use some revisions.
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"I think it becomes very problematic. What do we do with all these guns that are not in compliance? How do you turn them in? How do you deal with them when you discover them in the future? There's a million questions," said Mike Mazzeo, Rochester Locust Club President.
When it comes to the NY Safe Act, Mazzeo says it's still unclear how officers will enforce it.
"That's the biggest unknown. How does this impact our ability to enforce, we don't know what we are enforcing," he said. "Certainly going to be cost factors and the burden's going to be shifted to local law enforcement."
The laws made New York State the first in the nation to completely ban all pre-1994 high capacity magazines. It bans any magazines that can hold more than seven rounds. It conducts real time background checks of ammunition purchases in order to alert law enforcement of high volume buyers. It also bans guns considered to be assault weapons.
"I think everybody should take General Colin Powell and General McChrystal's word that assault weapons do not belong on the street and no one needs to have those except soldiers in time of war. We've got to get rid of those," said Louise Slaughter, (D) 25th Congressional District.
Mazzeo believes the new laws were rushed and the opinions of local law enforcement should have been considered. That's something the Bill Johnson, Executive Director of the National Association for Police Organizations, is hoping for when it comes to a ban on assault weapons on the federal level.
"I think when people talk about firearms of a particular type we have to be really careful because whether it's the New York Assembly, whether it's the Congress down in Washington, if they want to, if they have the votes, they can define anything as an assault weapon," said Johnson.
According to Mazzeo, a committee is being set up to work on revising parts of the law. He hopes then lawmakers consider their advice.