agencies that shouldn't have guns

[500grains]

It bothers me that so many agencies of our government are armed to the hilt in order to force us all into compliance with their various mandates. Here are some of the agencies that I think should not have guns:

1. IRS. They collect taxes for heck's sake. If they need to seize property, they can use the local sheriff or the federal marshals to seize and sell property just like anyone else.

2. Department of Education. Who do they need to shoot?? They have short barreled shotguns that I know of. If there is a dangerous situation, DoE can let the local cops get things under control.

3. BATFE. If you look at the statutes, BATFE is supposed to be primarily a tax collecting entity. It has mutated into a rogue law enforcement agency. I think that the ATF should not have guns because they don't need guns in order to look through dealer record books and collect taxes from manufacturers. If there are firearms violations, then they can report those violations to the FBI or the local cops so that the perps can be arrested and prosecuted. I am particularly emphatic that BATFE should not have guns because of abuses they have engaged in.

There are probably other agencies too...

[Alric]

Anyone who thinks society has progressed beyond "might makes right" has their head in the sand. I believe the number of gun wielding agencies, as you've mentioned, supports this concept very well.

I also agree with the points you bring up.

[Business_Casual]

EPA have guns ?

[Alex V]

I have seen employees of the US Postal Service with sidearms...

What are they expecting to happen? Someone to bust through the door of the post office and demand to have this weeks copy of Elle at gun point?

Though I do imagine their being quite a bit of money at the post office since US Stamps count as curency... who knows...

[chadbag]

I have seen employees of the US Postal Service with sidearms...

What are they expecting to happen? Someone to bust through the door of the post office and demand to have this weeks copy of Elle at gun point?

Though I do imagine their being quite a bit of money at the post office since US Stamps count as curency... who knows...

They have a fraud inspection unit that acts like real LEO. Whether they should have guns is another question.

[kmrtnsn]

I have done quite a bit of work with a couple of the above mentioned agencies. I have participated in their warrants, and they on mine. Organized criminal organizations and outlaw motor cycle gangs are just two of the types of groups that BATFE, IRS, and Postal have had large cases against in my AOR. To say that these law enforcement officers should not be armed in the course of their duties speaks to the level of ignorance of what they actually do day to day.

[THCDDM4]

EPA have guns ?

Yes the EPA has an armed task force!!!!

[John_Wayne777]

Good god...

OK, fellas, the tinfoil is getting awful thick around here lately.

Lots of government agencies were created by legislation that deals with a particular area of regulation, and as part of their mission they are charged with enforcement. That means that many have on payroll sworn federal law enforcement officers who are armed because they deal with unpleasant people just like every other law enforcement officer does.

Within just about every federal agency there is an office of inspector general charged with combating fraud and abuse within the agency. Often there are a limited number of armed, sworn investigators within the OIG whose enforcement efforts are entirely directed against rogue members of that agency. Is that causing any heartburn?

The BATFE, while not my favorite agency, really does arrest lots of people nobody on this board wants in their neighborhood. Currently they are arresting lots of the sorts of people who are perpetrating all those shootings and beheadings going on in Mexico...you know, the ones written about in a very long thread right here in GD? The BATFE, god bless them, is working to actually stop those guys...and I don't really think it's a good idea to send them up against that caliber of bad guy with just a pocket protector and a brief case. :rolleyes:

BATFE inspectors are not armed.

Since somebody bitched about the post office, consider that the post office handles large quantities of money and valuables on a daily basis. Consider that the postal system is used on a regular basis as a tool to further the criminal efforts of some very bad people. Postal inspectors have been key in prosecuting drug cases, kiddie porn rings, and even terrorism cases. Since there's a postal system somebody is going to try and use it to commit criminal acts and golly, it might be a really good idea to have a postal inspector who can intercept some kiddie porn and then, you know, try and put the people who are making it and distributing it in jail.

The postal inspector isn't out there scheming about how he can infringe on your liberties. He's out there trying to deal with people who try and distribute drugs, stolen goods, or anthrax through the mail.

Believe it or not, most law enforcement officers in this country really don't have any interest in doing bad things to good people.


I'm not a fan of the current trend in politics any more than anyone else, and I've gone on record despising the growth in the size and general nosiness of the federal government as much as anyone else...but the "Help! Help! I'm being oppressed!" routine is a bit much, don't you think?

[thopkins22]

I have done quite a bit of work with a couple of the above mentioned agencies. I have participated in their warrants, and they on mine. Organized criminal organizations and outlaw motor cycle gangs are just two of the types of groups that BATFE, IRS, and Postal have had large cases against in my AOR. To say that these law enforcement officers should not be armed in the course of their duties speaks to the level of ignorance of what they actually do day to day.

The feeling stems from the belief that the aforementioned agencies probably shouldn't even exist, much less have federal laws they are tasked with enforcing.

The argument here isn't that their agents shouldn't be able to defend themselves while performing their duties...it's the very notion that the federal government has created duties for them in the first place...often enforcing laws that are of questionable constitutionality or are already covered by state law. What are they doing that is actually mandated by the constitution or couldn't be enforced using local law enforcement or the FBI?

Three federal agencies were listed by the OP...three that I believe should be abolished and replaced with absolutely nothing. But I would love to know what the Department of Education is doing that requires arms, or the Department of Agriculture?

There are bad guys on motorcycles? Great, I hope they are all caught and punished. I hope those that catch them are able to remain safe and have the ability to defend themselves. I fail to see why the Post Office actually needs to get involved beyond cooperation with pertinent warrants like UPS would do.