"The DC Gun Grab"

A few weeks ago the Washington DC, Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) announced their "SafeHomes" program, which encourages households to allow police to search their property for guns and drugs in return for partial amnesty. It is said that the program is aimed at parents who worry that their children or another family member has a gun in the house but do not want to face legal repercussions.

The program began March 24, when officers passed out information at local Boys and Girls Clubs and police stations. The actual searches are to begin in the Highlands neighborhood. Officers will go door-to-door ‘requesting’ entry into homes. If the resident grants permission, the officers will search the premises for weapons.

If drugs or other illegal contraband are in plain sight, they will be confiscated, too. Residents will not be criminally charged for any illegal activity —at least, not for possessing guns, drugs or even for housing violations. The "partial" amnesty, however, will mean that, if any weapon is shown to have been involved in a crime, the owner will be prosecuted.

DC’s mayor Adrian Fenty argues, “the programs purpose is to get guns and drugs off the street, not to arrest criminals.” But is it not true that prosecuting crimes is to deter future crimes?

In opposing the "no warrant" searches, the American Civil Liberties Union points out, that “wiping out urban violence should not come at the cost of our civil liberties. Despite the assurances from the Fenty administration, it is hard to imagine inappropriate searches won't occur and that there won't be pressure to bow to the searches. In addition to potential language barriers and general mischief, it's practically impossible to guarantee that the person who permits the search is a legal resident of the home.”

Most readers are aware that the U.S. Supreme Court recently held a hearing for the purpose of determining if the Washington DC gun ban violates the protections named in the Constitution. Specifically, does it violate the Second Amendment?

The DC government believes that armed citizens amount to armed criminals and they have presented many arguments as to why they do not have to allow DC residents the use of firearms even for self-defense. They have argued that DC is not a state and therefore “has no requirement to meet the Second Amendment, which applies ONLY to state militias”, that “they allow long guns (which by law must be rendered useless) for self-defense, that “their law is 30+ years old and therefore sets a precedent”.

The judges did not seem to be impressed with these or other lines of argument.

In spite of the public rhetoric, DC and most interested parties believe that the DC Gun Ban will be over turned or greatly weakened.

Many observers believe that the real reason for these searches is to seize and destroy as many firearms as possible before the Supreme Court rules that the private ownership of firearms is legal for all U.S. citizens, even those living in the “Peoples Republik of DC.