Denver PD Getting Ready To Pepper-Gun At The DNC

Thousands of passionate Democrats and a few passionate anti-Democrats are getting ready to go out to Denver in late August for the much-anticipated Democratic Convention. While it may not be as raucous as we thought when Senator Clinton threatened to contest the race up in Denver, it should still be an exciting time. I remember going to Boston four years ago and that was quite the party scene. However, the Denver Police Department is also getting ready in their own special way.

From The Colorado Independent:

The Denver Police Department has bought high-powered pepper ball rifles just in time for the Democratic National Convention in August, according to a weapons firm that will provide the guns.

Security With Advanced Technology, a company based in Louisville, Colo., and self-billed as investing in the manufacturing of “non-lethal solutions,” announced this week that it had sold Denver police 88 Mark IV rifle models, guns that can fire up to 15 pepper balls filled with a super irritant powder at an approximate target range of 100 meters.[...]

Information about the rifle purchases was publicly disclosed by the weapons manufacturer but not by law enforcement officials, who have been reluctant to reveal what is being bought with some $50 million in federal funds for convention security.

In April the Colorado Independent reported that the Denver Police Department refused to disclose what weapons the city was purchasing in preparation for the convention. At the time department officials maintained that such information was not in the “public interest.”

Oh I beg to differ on that "not in the public interest" bullshit the Denver cops are trying to spout. Since they pay for the weapons with taxpayer dollars, we have every right to know how much is going for what. Now, while this sounds like a step-up from "less than lethal" beanbags, you never know what will happen until trigger-happy cops starting using their new, expensive toys. Hopefully this won't 'best' the craziness that befell Chicago in 68'....and New York City in 2004.