the right war on crime

Armed criminals are roaming the streets at night throughout Florida, and robberies, rapes and other assaults are at an all time high. In an attempt to stem the outbreak, one police chief in a major city is taking his desk people into the streets in order to bolster those on the front line. It is an act of desperation. It seems that every criminal now has a gun and is willing to use it. I call that an act of war against law-abiding citizens. More drastic measures are needed it we are to curtail this crime wave.

It is time to fight back in a more effective way.

I propose that our legislators enact a law that would hold merchants harmless when they shoot down a criminal in the act of robbery. Present laws protect the thieves because the merchant must prove that he was protecting his life beyond a reasonable doubt. Protection of property is not considered sufficient grounds to gun down a criminal. That seems reasonable except for the fact that most criminals feel secure enough to walk into a store and brazenly announce a robbery because they are aware of this protection.

Think how much more they would be deterred if there was a strong possibility they would be slain immediately when they produce a weapon. Merchants could post a guard in a vantage position with an accurate weapon with the assurance he would not be prosecuted for killing a holdup man. After a few casualties, the criminal element may be forced to look for other ways to provide for themselves rather than preying on the innocent. Maybe they would even get a job and earn an honest living. A few dead bodies will have a chilling effect on crime. It is a war they declared on the populace and they should reap the grim results. A few more desk sergeants on the streets will have little effect on crime. It is time we took more drastic measures.