I received the following, copied and pasted below from an ATF newsletter:
Newark Field Division Hosts Range Day for IOIs
By SA MIKE MOHR
PIO, Newark Field Division
Fire at Will—Industry Operations Investigators Patricia Wiggins, Jurrell Quinn, Albert Capuano and Stephen Konnovitch look on as Area Supervisor John Lawlor fires an M-4 under the watchful eye of Special Agent/Firearms Instructor Coordinator Peter Wagner.
I know many of you will focus on the "M-4," but another question might be why are IOIs, compliance/paperwork inspectors who do not carry firearms in the course of their duties, receiving firearms training in the first place?
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Comments
I'll admit it. I focused on the "M-4" and couldn't get through the rest of the caption without giggling.
1: http: //www.gunreports.com/media/newspics/m4-pistolgrip-large.jpg ? ... Wouldn't be surprised.
2: At least maybe they'll get some basic firearms safety training so they don't pick up a gun they're confiscating and shoot some poor bastard...
Careful with this line of thought. Dangerously close to "why do citizens need to practice fire team drills"?
Have no problem with training. How it's put to use is what bears watching.
First of all, that isnt an M 4, it's a 12 gauge shotgun, second of all if that's the Instructor, they're all in trouble. What a lousy mount of that shotgun... no index, no shoulder support. bringing the head down to the gun is also quite amatuer.
if they are policing our guns and dont know the difference (or care) between an M4 and a 12 gauge... God help us!
Anyone wonder about the length of that barrel? Does it look like the new NEA issued 'riot-control' 12" shotguns? The stock looks as long or longer than the barrel...
Jesus Christ, ya'll do your homework ... YES IT IS AN M4 .... a Benelli M4 shotgun!
http:_//www.benelliusa.com/shotguns/benelli_m4.php
Careful about throwing that first stone guys! :)
/Sorry, didn't mean to troll. My first thought was: "Doesn't Benelli use the M4 designation for a shotty?"
Added your link.
My shotgun is longer. ;)
"Careful with this line of thought. Dangerously close to 'why do citizens need to practice fire team drills?' Have no problem with training. How it's put to use is what bears watching."
I have no problem with them practicing safe sex, either; I just don't think a tax-funded course on it is appropriate. I pay for my own training; if these guys don't have an enforcement or security job description, they should pay their own way too.
Posed photo? I could be wrong, but I don't think the "shooter" is left handed. If he is, the instructor needs to go back to school.
[W-III]
Honestly, I don't see this necessarily being a bad thing, as I said earlier. Yeah, I know, militarization of even the lowliest bean counter, but:
1: the photo has no context - the guy could be demonstrating (trying to) how to shoot the gun left handed, or he might be new and doing it wrong. Who knows. I'd probably look that dumb trying to shoot it weak handed.
2: every time I have seen a new shooter, even one scared of guns, at their first time at the range, they loved it. If as you say these people aren't supposed to carry guns for their designated jobs, they are pretty likely to be scared of them as the average person is. A day at the range may make them understand why people would want to own such things, and realize that people who like shooting aren't necessarily psychos.
3: as I said before, familiarity with guns, especially for someone who might have to deal with one in his job, is never a bad thing. Might save someone's life if they learn the basic safety rules.
Chef- That's not a benelli M4.
A benelli m4 is semi automatic and has a charging handle on the side an a slot at the rear of the chamber for it to fit into when chambering a shell. this shotgun does not have either one.
Benelli M4 has a pistol grip, has a rail on top, and is semi-auto. That shotgun is definitely a pump.
it could be a nova or supernova. Anyway that's beside the point. I appologize for focusing on the M4.
I agree with Scott J. and Roger. Without more context to the picture, I'm not going to condemn the exercise. Maybe the instructor volunteered to show some of his coworkers how to shoot on a Saturday. I've participated in similar activities whereby a law enforcement officer offers to provide safe firearm instruction to friends and colleagues on his own time and his own dime. As others have said, if the result is a net increase in responsible, well-informed firearms users, I'm not convinced that's a bad thing - even if the people involved don't carry a weapon as part of their employment.
One photo, with no context. IOI's are non sworn regulatory inspectors with no criminal law enforcement authority. It was a familiarization exercise, so why the conspiracy theory? Stories like this are what destroys legitimacy in the eyes of the media, when one states an obvservation with a hint of malice and suspicion.
All I see here is a question. Those are off limits now? Chris you're the one doing what you accuse and stating an observation. How do you know for sure? And why the concern for what the media thinks? Like they'd admit anything is legitimate that doesn't sing from their hymn book.
IOI????? LOL !!!!!
Maybe next, Agent Donna Schlusser (sp) will demonstrate how to stomp kittens to death, like she did to the Lamplugh family's kittens.
Or have we all forgotten that one?
Reading is fundamental…that is not the firearms instructor holding the shotgun (duh, it’s obviously not an M4). Some of the comments posted here are about as retarded as no one catching the error in the photo caption!
RL- I realize that the point of the article is not the gun being held. I just got distracted by some of the posts. My feelings are that I support firearm training for anybody who wants it. However, if it is not part of their job, federal employees should not train on my dime. On the other hand, if this were part of an initiative by the BATFE to educate the public about firearms and firearm safety and these employees took part, I could get behind that. Given their track record however, this is unlikely.
What a bunch of tools. IOIs are the regulatory side of the ATF. They make the same money as the Agents except they don't get leap pay. (25% extra for anticipated overtime) They also don't work overtime that's why they don't get it. They are GS-13s and make over 100K. They should be familiar with weapons since they have to pick them up and examine them all day.
What a cry baby tool you are. Get a life and a clue.
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