Wisconsin Sheriff urges residents to take up arms

Sheriff David Clarke in Milwaukee has taken a very proactive stance.  He's urging residents to learn how to use firearms to protect themselves.  He sent out this announcement because he realized in the face of budget cuts, furloughs and hiring freezes (and layoffs), Law Enforcement can't possibly respond quickly enough to prevent harm to his residents. 

In fact this has always been the case, even in cities with very large police forces - they simply can't get to your home fast enough to prevent an act of violence.  In Los Angeles, the average response times vary from 6 or 8 minutes or longer.  In that time your home can be burglarized, your family assaulted, even murdered. 

Call the Sheriff and give him your support!  It's incredibly courageous for a Law Enforcement Officer to take this stand, to tell the truth and risk the dangers to his career that are attached to encouraging people to take up arms.  The sheriff will most certainly be fighting a lot of other officials on this, and may even have to fight for his job. So please call or email to let him know we support his action.

You can reach his office here: Sheriff's Office Non-Emergency Line - 414-278-4766

Click here to listen to Sheriff Clarke's personal safety public service announcement (mp3).

Text of message:

I’m Sheriff David Clarke, and I want to talk to you about something personal…your safety. It’s no longer a spectator sport; I need you in the game, but are you ready? With officers laid-off and furloughed, simply calling 9-1-1 and waiting is no longer your best option. You can beg for mercy from a violent criminal, hide under the bed, or you can fight back; but are you prepared? Consider taking a certified safety course in handling a firearm so you can defend yourself until we get there. You have a duty to protect yourself and your family. We’re partners now. Can I count on you?  

From the article on Fox:

A sheriff who released a radio ad urging Milwaukee-area residents to learn to handle firearms so they can defend themselves while waiting for police said Friday that law enforcement cutbacks have changed the way police can respond to crime.In the 30-second commercial, Milwaukee County Sheriff David Clarke Jr. says personal safety is no longer a spectator sport.

"I need you in the game," he says.

"With officers laid off and furloughed, simply calling 911 and waiting is no longer your best option," he adds. "You can beg for mercy from a violent criminal, hide under the bed, or you can fight back. ... Consider taking a certified safety course in handling a firearm so you can defend yourself until we get there."
The ad has generated sharp criticism from other area officials and anti-violence advocates. The president of the Milwaukee Deputy Sheriffs' Association, Roy Felber, said it sounds like a call to vigilantism.