At 11:15 AM 9/13/2001 -0700, Derek Balling
At 10:28 PM -0700 9/12/01, Steve Schear wrote:
If local police officers who fly were allowed to carry their guns with them, warned only to switch to frangible ammunition, this couldn't have happened.
But they are. On U.S. domestic flights they have merely to present themselves and acceptable credentials (which BTW the airline personnel are poorly trained to authenticate) and state in a form that they are traveling for LE purposes. There are other formalities that are followed, but overall they are not restricted from carrying.
But why should it have to be "for law enforcement purposes"? Is the LEO somehow "less capable of handling his firearm properly" because he's not travelling to LGA to pick up a prisoner?
I can't speak to the why since those thoughts are rarely communicated outside the FAA. Perhaps its the Fed LEs themselves who reluctant to go through the paperwork unless they are traveling on business. steve