Chief you wrote this in your piece….Arbitrarily ceasing debate raises suspicion about intent. It also destroys trust and confidence in the people running the process, in this case, the hearing in the state senate.

Sounds a lot like what happens when people complain about LE. The complainants are either branded as cop haters or law breakers. I really take issue with another part of your post… We support a person’s right to carry a concealed weapon for self-defense provided they are of sound mind and law abiding. People who have broken the law at some point do not have the right to protect themselves?

I realize these comments will seem argumentative to some but, isn’t debate by it’s very nature argumentative? It is hard for me to understand how LE can complain that their views are not being heard when LE consistently ignores the complaints from citizens.

I would ask the chief if he really supports 2nd Amendment rights, why does he really oppose this law? The truth is the cops want to be the only people carrying guns in public, they feel like it would make their jobs easier, and it might. But it won’t stop bad guys or the mentally ill from arming themselves, which is the real problem. And mental health problems are at least as prevalent among cops as they are in our society as a whole, just ask the folks in Filer!

“These examples may be the minority of CCW holders”? I daresay I would like to know of at least one. There appears to be a “progressive” movement afoot among our politicians and law enforcement “administrators” and it does not bode well for 2nd amendment advocates. Progressives seem to have found their way in to any number of public forums under the mistaken notion that their opinions matter when it comes to the Constitution. You seem to take the stance that because something MIGHT happen then ALL CCW holders are suspect and need to be forbidden to carry. With that type of attitude, the citizens are not out of line when there may be evidence of only a few officers using drugs, engaged in criminal activity or drunken behavior to think that ALL officers are lying drunks, drug addicted thief’s. See it works both ways. What I find most disturbing about this article is the notion that a police officer (regardless of so called rank) thinks enough of his opinion that he has taken the extraordinary step of essentially circumventing our Constitution. Enforce the law. Period. The double standard evidenced here is appalling. The citizens are guilty before a crime has even been committed in the eyes of this man. And yet we STILL don’t know exactly what took place and why the need for a FEDERAL AGENCY to spend 18 months investigating this department. If anything I would suggest that there appears to be more need for concern about some of Boise’s officers carrying guns than the VAST majority of citizens in this city. At any rate i find it offensive that this “Chief” has the arrogance to suggest that his opinion trumps the Constitution. Just do what we pay you for: enforce the law and keep your so called legal opinions to yourself. And I really wonder if you actually do speak for you r officers. Somehow I think not………

I greatly respect your worries about the bill and your concern over police chiefs not being permitted to testify at the hearing, however one part of your piece is extremely troubling, and that is your conflation of “mental illness” with “violently unstable.”

The state of mental healthcare in this country is absolutely deplorable, and while some people with mental illness do commit violent crimes the simple truth is people suffering from poor mental health are far more likely to be victims of violent crime than perpetrators.

Furthermore by implying that keeping guns out of the hands mentally ill people will reduce risks to officers and public ignores the fact that perfectly cogent, rational people commit horrific acts of violence every day in our country and in our state.

When it comes to issues of gun safety, the common denominator is not the presence or absence of mental illness, but the presence of a gun.

thanks rick. you raise a good point i thought i’d take a few minutes to respond. First, unlike other govt leaders I routinely interact with BG readers. Many of them discount your views; I have not. While we may not agree I believe it is important to listen to strong critics of government, not only to listen but to learn. I don’t engage in arguments and you will never find a lack of civility from me. I respect your rights to hold differing views and to express them. Sometimes the best we can do is agree to disagree.

I’ve just started my tenth year as Boise Police Chief. During that time when people called my office and wanted to speak with me they got me in person or, in my absence, another member of my command staff to listen. Ask yourself is other government agencies afford you that type of access? Just this week a man called to express his concerns over the video of the dog shot by police outside of boise. We had a nice talk and he gave me some good ideas to consider.

I will have more to share on the CCW issue later this week at a public meeting. It’s hard to make statements that everyone doesn’t immediately think we are talking about them. Take a look at the requirements for CCW in Idaho code and tell me how we keep guns out of the hands of those who would harm you like the mentally ill who dont rise to the level of a mental hold? for those who have threatened violence against another but there is insufficient to charge them criminally? That we have a system that allows gang members to obtain a ccw permit in Idaho and carry concealed? I just want an opportunity to be heard, like all of us want. I think you get that with me, far more than any other official has been willing to offer in the past, and probably few will be accomodating to do in the future. Thanks for a good comment and the opportunity to respond.

How many others besides me do not feel “served or protected” by law enforcement, and instead feel harrassed and threatened and coerced by them???

And, the moment you begin to impede an iindividual’s right to protect himself, you have lost my support!!!!

If I hadn’t just read it I wouldn’t believe it. Masterson just ridiculed and relegated commentators of this site as not worthy of….what? The Idaho Statesman? The New York Times? The BPD “news” site compiling the usual DUI and shoplifting thefts requiring a SWAT call OUT. What absolute arrogance. Go to any website on the internet and there are always a few “interesting” comments. But for you to relegate these comments to the dung heap is the height of arrogance.
And yet….here you are.
How about some answers then since you opened this up. Why were you unaware of the FBI investigation and who was investigated? Not telling the Chief of an agency under investigation seems rather…peculiar…. and raises a number of questions and issues. Were there criminal actions committed on the part of your officers that didn’t rise to the level of a federal indictment but could easily be heard in local courts? Why the secrecy? or do you really not know what is going on in your own department? Were officers fired? The Statesman article implied there were? Is that “personnel action” or do the citizens need to know if a crime was committed by one of BPD’s finest. The whole situation smells to high heaven.
You seem fascinated with a number of rather “peripheral” issues but issues that one who is interested in “other” employment might want on the record. You are a hard one to figure out. But you appear to be “progressive” in your thoughts and actions. I agree with the earlier comment: it’s hard to take you seriously when your own home seems to be in need of some cleaning.
And lastly why is your opinion on Constitutional Law of any value? Did you go to Law school? You are a police officer…period. Granted you have a couple stars pinned on your collar but in terms of actual understanding of this issue, you seem to be focused on some vague mental illness angle that seems to be a non issue and public relations seems to be the point. There are many individuals in this community that would like some answers but I suspect that you really don’t know.
“Dum excusare credos, accusas”.

Chief

A lot.. no all the readers of this blog know that I am not a fan of LE. I have my personal reasons for that feeling I also have reasons that go to the lack of respect that cops in general show to the public. I am not saying all cops but, as the old saying goes it only takes 1 bad apple to spoil the whole barrel…. Or something like that.

You seem willing to listen but, just listening does not seem to be slowing the hit parade of incidents. A local cop in a downtown bar drunk on a mechanical bull…. With at least 1 gun… the officer 3 incident… the plethora of dead dogs… outright misuse of authority… (illegally demanding an individual’s ID) ect. ect. It is going to take some action… not just listening.

Shoogi did make a very good and very accurate point….”mental health problems are at least as prevalent among cops as they are in our society as a whole” Shoogi could have mentioned that the rates of Domestic Violence (DV) in LE is twice that of the national average and yet cops still keep their jobs and guns. I guess I personally loose all trust in cops and the system when a tazer is held to an individuals testicles and there are multiple threats to use the tazer and all that happens to the cop is… some more training.

I am also very concerned about your continued comments about those with a mental illness (MI) being “so dangerous” you are painting with a very very broad brush sir and that is scary to me. The vast majority of individuals with MI are not dangerous at all… even the “horribly scary” schizophrenic’s.

I will agree with the person who posted that you and the others who were there to testify had their own agenda…. everyone who wants to be heard on any subject has their own agenda… that does not make it nefarious. You have every right as a citizen and as a public servant I feel you especially have a duty to make your views known on any subject that concerns safety. So to me that is nothing more than an attempt to inflame.

I for one think there should be no CCW…. at all… NO ONE should be carrying a gun concealed…NO ONE. Maybe I’m too much of a John Wayne fan but I do not trust a hideaway man, put it on your hip where everyone can see it. The only reason to hide a gun is so you can ambush an unknowing individual.

More than one person has brought up the whole 2nd amendment argument, face it folks we as citizens have lost that one. It was lost many years ago when restrictions were put on gun ownership for felons and the stripping of gun rights has not slowed much since, now some misdemeanants are banned from owning guns… even if no weapon was used in their crime.

I whole heartedly agree that you have engaged in a civil manner more with the public than any other member of your dept. and I applaud you for that. Other members of the BPD and ACSD have not been so pleasant in their comments on here but, that is their problem, or is it?

In closing I would like to say that I for one hope you continue to read and comment on these posts. I wish that the leader of, as he calls it, or used to anyway, the Law Enforcement dept of choice would grace us with his presence and his views. I will not hold my breath for that one though.

…and in the meantime, while the ombudsman apparently was unaware of the 22 month federal investigation in to the questionable(?) activities of our public employees, (he) managed to conduct a very detailed investigation in to an officer who supposedly had his cell phone attached to a car window watching a football game while driving. Great job Ombudsman!1 Good to know we are safe from personal fouls and clipping calls here in Boise. Something is so very broken in this city.

@Interested Citizen-I feel plenty protected and served by the Boise Police Department and could not disagree with you more. If you think the BPD is not a great police department and does not work hard for its citizens move to somewhere like Oakland or Seattle then tell me how you feel about the police “harrassment.”

Personal story about cops…

I was once going to be a cop, going on ride a-longs, starting the paperwork to use my GI bill to go to post. Then a couple of instances made me re think what I wanted to do. A cop I was with got a call that there was a “deal” going on close to his location. I saw as a cop was all excited to make a bust. He ran off, and later when I saw him again he was celebrating like he just busted Scare Face with a bunch of coke. In all actuality all he did was catch a 16 year old kid selling a piece of Marijuana to a friend that was the equivalent in size to a cap of a ball point pen. Still got that kid for distribution, a felony. This cop ruined that kids life, all over something that was so small that it couldn’t have possibly done any damage. But the cop was so excited that he seemed like he was about to open a bottle of champagne and throw a party.

Also When talking to another cop, he told me, (when dealing with resistant individuals) that, and I quote, “…it doesn’t matter what the truth is, all that matters is what we put in the reports, and that becomes the truth…”

So knowing this, and knowing that this is a common sort of mentality among cops, I chose to change professions. I would rather keep my soul than be affiliated with that group.
However, for those that DO choose to be in that line of work, and they subject themselves to this sort of “Us Vs. Them” attitude with dealing with the public, any complaints that you are not getting your way, or are feeling that you are not being heard, is just giving you a taste of your own medicine. For once you now get to feel what it is like to be apart of the common public, and for that you should not receive any sympathy. If anything it should motivate you to make some serious paradigm changes within your ranks.

Lead by example, not with an Iron fist. You will be both more effective, and gain more support throughout the community.

I, for one, appreciate the Chief’s position. He briefly mentions the ability of many CWP holders to safely discharge a firearm in the context of a campus. Based on my CWP training a few years back, competency and proficiency with a gun is no hurdle at all to obtaining a permit. Most of those folks in the practicals couldn’t hit the paper unless they were standing 10 feet away. I’m not comfortable with this, and would really appreciate seeing legislation to create a minimum standard of target acquisition, rather than loosening the restrictions for CWPs.

The part about alcohol and concealed carry is also very much of a practical concern. Folks, if we can’t pass common-sense laws, eventually there WILL be stronger federal regulation and that’s very much what you don’t want. Please consider the salient points at hand here and try to untwist your knickers at the thought that the feds are comin’ for your guns. If our state proves incompetent, it could actually happen and it’ll be no one’s fault but your own.

Rereading the Chief’s comments it occurs to me that the grey area he speaks of has ALWAYS been there. gang members, individuals who threaten violence, the so called mentally ill. It boils down to not what you think you know but what you can prove…..something that seems to take on new meaning with this department. Is it illegal to be a gang member? Well it depends…are they involved in a criminal enterprise or do they ride motorcycles. If criminal, how do the police know? Can they prove an individual is involved and therefore not worthy of a permit? Then indict and prevent. Does it have to be crimes of violence or is GRAND THEFT enough to prevent an individual from carrying. Mental illness can be defined as easily as obsessive compulsive behavior. (making a bed over and over again). Does this disqualify an individual from carrying.
It’s easy to step on a soap box and pretend you have an understanding of these issues, but I feel you do not. That is why it is best to allow the CONSTITUTION to do the talking here. Our country has become sick. Idaho is ranked SIXTH in suicides in the nation. How about a law that says if the state you live in is ranked lower than 25th in suicides, no one can carry a gun? The theory is the same as you appear to be stumping for. 80 percent of prescription meds go to antidepressants and the like. Should that be a disqualifier. The founding fathers, I am certain had no idea the level of insanity this country would fall to 250 years ago. But ironically, because we have fallen so far the issue of gun ownership and carry is more important NOW than it was then.
I am still curious though. What ONE incident has influenced you to believe that potential mental illness somehow is an issue in this city concerning CCW permits?

Chief, while I am not in agreement with all your points, I do want to thank you for engaging the public through BG, it does show your interest in the public’s thoughts and a desire to reach out.

If only we could trust the cops as much as we can trust a stranger.

Evidence shows we cannot. Many a cop, especially those who’ve behaved badly when dealing with people’s rights, feel naked without a gun, thus the proposed law. Statistically speaking cops have a higher than average rate of: Mental illness diagnosis, domestic violence, substance addiction/abuse, suicide, and assaults on strangers. The chief still has not addressed my question in a previous post about why most police departments do not test for steroids, growth hormones, and similar substances when conducting drug screenings.

Agreed.
But i feel that the system is too far gone to be able to fix. Corruption starts at the top, and works it’s way to the bottom ranks, and by that time it is so entrenched that the average beat walker has a perfunctory attitude, saying when questioned by an informed citizen, “just doing my job…” (which is the exact response given by those on the defense at the Nuremberg Trials).
To make any significant change, the whole needs to be purged, but that won’t happen without a fight.

Thanks Kelly…. Don’t take the bait folk…. One question… what dept do you work for?

…that is why the Constitution trumps the “Chief”…….as has already been discussed. Don’t be too hard on your fellow citizens. Where there is smoke there is usually fire and it is still smoldering. The history of this department under this
Chief’s” leadership as documented in the papers and elsewhere lends credence to their comments: pedophiles, debauchery, drunken behavior, sexual misconduct, abuse of authority ( I love YOUTUBE) and God knows what else that reporters won’t touch….the Feds must have been on to something for two years. Maybe the comments would cease if the truth were told. I think it is good to have a site like this for people to voice opinions.

Masterson states that “Idaho laws are weak on grounds to deny a CCW permit”.

Does this mean that he advocates some convolution of Idaho’s straightforward and unequivocal laws concerning concealed carry???

Does Masterson merely wish to expand the coppers’ monopoly on weapons and law enforcement that already exists?

Many on here have demonized the police: I do think there are many a good cop. I think Boise is better than most. However, it is clear that not enough is done to root out the bad. It’s kinda like the Catholic Priest problem. Ya can’t tell me they don’t know who these guys are. Second point: Before all you coppers get offended by the comments on here, please tell me of any event in the known history of mankind when a massacre of large numbers of citizens was NOT carried out by police under the direction of someone they were loyal to. Police in the USA are moving away from accountability to the average citizen and that is what people are concerned about. History shows what it will lead to.

The governments appear to be preparing for mass civil unrest. “Fear a government which fears is people” a very smart man once said: (link is to a news outlet)

http://cnsnews.com/news/article/ali-meyer/dhs-contracted-purchase-704-million-rounds-ammo-over-next-4-years-2500-rounds

………and good riddance.

Chief, make sure this kinda bullcrap don’t happen in our town please: http://www.startribune.com/nation/246283171.html