Monday Odds and Ends - Gun Control Addition

CMPD Captain Adkins - The Civil Service Board hearing for CMPD Captain Chuck Adkins is back on the calender for next week February 25-27.

We'll keep you posted as the exact time and day next week and which mainstream media types will be in attendance for the "open hearing".

ShotSpotter - A week ago we told you about Chief Monroe's plan to expand ShotSpotter in Charlotte. We noted that ShotSpotter would soon be expanded to Grier Heights and the Eastway areas of Charlotte. Over the weekend mainstream media picked up on the story, yet failed to ask the obvious questions.

How has ShotSpotter performed uptown? Where are the numbers, a case study, a report?

When the system was installed in was sold to City Council as being paid for by DNC funds, and that it would be on a trial basis. Now it has suddenly become an annual expense.

Then there are the costs, a reported $10,000.00 installation fee and $40,000 annual monitoring fee.  This is in addition to the $160,000.00 for the system already in place Uptown according to the local paper.

Real questions, but when asked, only Crickets.

Chief Monroe says he'll use the department's seizure funds. That magic pool of money that the department taps into without any oversight.

The Observer's story is here.

Mi Casa Es Su Casa - Chief Monroe apparently plans on having a sister city relationship with Juárez Mexico and the beleaguered city's police department.

Juárez is of course known as the murder capital of the world and as having one of Mexico's most corrupt police departments. So why would CMPD want to "hook up" with the Juárez PD? Let's hope this isn't another Spanish speaking officer recruiting idea from Chief Monroe.

Because as they say south of the border: "Que es una locura!"

The Run On Ammunition - May not be entirely consumer driven, at least that is the thinking behind a report by Andrew Malcolm.

While WBTV news crews were filming empty shelves at Hyatt's Gun Shop in Charlotte today, Andrew's report citing massive purchases by Homeland Security and get this the "Social Security Administration" has received little attention outside of blogland.

"In a puzzling, unexplained development, the Obama administration has been buying and storing vast amounts of ammunition in recent months, with the Department of Homeland Security just placing another order for an additional 21.6 million rounds.

Several other agencies of the federal government also began buying large quantities of bullets last year. The Social Security Administration, for instance, not normally considered on the frontlines of anything but dealing with seniors, explained that its purchase of millions of rounds was for special agents' required quarterly weapons qualifications. They must be pretty poor shots.

But DHS has been silent about its need for numerous orders of bullets in the multiple millions. Indeed, Examiner writer Ryan Keller points out Janet Napolitano's agency illegally redacted information from some ammunition solicitation forms following media inquiries.

According to one estimate, just since last spring DHS has stockpiled more than 1.6 billion bullets, mainly .40 caliber and 9mm. That's sufficient firepower to shoot every American about five times. Including illegal immigrants.

To provide some perspective, experts estimate that at the peak of the Iraq war American troops were firing around 5.5 million rounds per month. At that rate, DHS is armed now for a 24-year Iraq war.

Read More At IBD: http://news.investors.com/politics-andrew-malcolm/020813-643707-obama-homeland-security-vast-ammunition-purchases.htm#ixzz2LLSHKIQi
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The former LA Times Editor's take on ammo hording is here.