Joe Grace on his plans for Philadelphia City Council

[anonymouse]

http://sct.temple.edu/blogs/murl/beh...trol-can-help/

Kensington: Joe Grace on How Gun Control Can Help
February 8, 2011
By John Paul Titlow


Former executive director of the gun control advocacy group CeaseFirePA Joe Grace is running for Philadelphia City Council. We sat down with Grace to discuss how guns and gun regulations impact Kensington.

You previous worked as the executive director of CeaseFirePA. Can you speak to the importance of gun control for Kensington specifically?

The best way to explain it is that a gun becomes an illegal gun when it’s used illegally, when somebody uses it to commit a crime, when somebody traffics it. A gun is sold on the streets for $500, $250 or $700. Anytime a gun is sold on the streets of Philadelphia or anywhere in Pennsylvania, it’s illegal. You can’t do it. You have to buy a gun at a registered dealer, or you can also buy firearms at gun shows as well in Pennsylvania. But for the most part, you have to buy a gun from a registered dealer and go through a background check. That’s federal and that’s state law. It’s to determine whether or not you have a conviction on your record. If you have a conviction on your record, you can’t buy a gun. That’s the law.


The vast majority of guns that are used in the commission of crime in Philadelphia –robberies, assaults, shootings, homicides – are committed by criminals with illegal guns in their hands. It’s not law-abiding citizens who bought a gun, were checked on a background check and then decided to go out and commit terrible gun crimes on the streets of Philadelphia. That might happen every once in awhile. That’s not the problem. The problem is the illegal trafficking of guns from criminal to criminal. For the people of Kensington, that’s at the root of the issue.


Again, police are doing as much as they can. There is a gun violence task force that works in concert with the D.A. and the police department. They go after illegal gun traffickers. CeaseFirePA developed a project with the D.A.’s office. When asked, I would go into court to give a gun violence impact statement to the judge before the judge sentenced a convicted trafficker of illegal guns.


I’m not doing it now because I’ve stepped aside from CeasefirePA to make this campaign for City Council. But I want to continue to fight for exactly the same things as a member of council. I want to make sure that the D.A.’s office has the appropriate level of funding to continue with that gun violence task force. The funding’s been cut, and I want to see to it that that funding gets restored so they can continue to do that kind of work.


We already have things we could do to get gun traffickers off the street. We have to strictly enforce the law. We have to make sure that the D.A. and the police department are fully funded to do the work that they want to do. And we really do need people in the bully pulpit advocating on how serious this issue is. And yes, even the people of Kensington and [Port] Richomond and Fishtown and Center City will benefit from stronger, reasonable statewide gun laws.

So the people who obey the law are not the problem. And we don't enforce the existing laws enough.

But we need more laws to stop the people who won't obey laws anyway?

[7998]

http://sct.temple.edu/blogs/murl/beh...trol-can-help/

So the people who obey the law are not the problem. And we don't enforce the existing laws enough.

But we need more laws to stop the people who won't obey laws anyway?

Typical @$$*ole/politician. Say two things and mean nothing.

[kadar]

Joe Grace's campaign vehicle:

[PA Traveler]

Almost enough to make me wish I lived in Philadelphia, just to vote against him.

[Phillygunguy]

Almost enough to make me wish I lived in Philadelphia, just to vote against him.

I live in Philly trust me ill vote aginst him

[anonymouse]

http://www.electjoegrace.com/joes-ag...fety-plan.html

Full PDF: http://www.electjoegrace.com/images/...SafetyPlan.pdf

Stronger Enforcement of Laws Against Illegal Gun Trafficking
Virtually every gun crime is committed by a criminal using an illegal gun. Philadelphia should adopt a zero tolerance policy for illegal guns. Too often, criminals who are charged with more than one offense are offered plea bargains, clearing them of gun related charges or minimizing the penalty. That is unacceptable. Whether it’s a first offense or a juvenile, illegal possession, use, or sale of handguns in Philadelphia should carry a severe punishment. As executive director of CeasefirePA, Joe Grace worked closely with the DA’s Gun Violence Task Force to appear in court and urge sentencing judges to issue the maximum, appropriate sentence to convicted gun traffickers.
Local judges must understand the crucial role they play in reducing and preventing gun violence, by sending clear signals to the community that illegal gun trafficking, straw purchases and illegal sales of guns on the streets of Philadelphia will not be tolerated and strict enforcement and punishments will be meted out.

Enforce the City’s Lost or Stolen Handgun Reporting Law
In order for law enforcement to crack down on illegal guns, we need to establish a system to track firearms from their legal owners, to the criminals who terrorize neighborhoods.
In 2008, Philadelphia was the first Pennsylvania city to adopt a lost or stolen handgun reporting requirement. This basic reform enables investigators to begin searching for missing weapons before they are found at the scene of a crime – and to prosecute straw purchasers and traffickers who supply criminals with illegal guns.
The lost or stolen reform has stood up to legal challenges by the NRA five times– including the Pennsylvania Supreme Court. So far, the Philadelphia Police Department has used the law as a deterrent – persuading gun traffickers to cooperate or face jail time. Philadelphia should be the first city to begin aggressively enforcing its lost or stolen handgun reporting law - today. As Mayor Nutter has said publicly, one of his proudest days in office thus far was the day the NRA sued to challenge the city’s passage of this law. The NRA lost that challenge. The City should begin enforcing the lost or stolen handgun reporting law – today. If your gun is lost or stolen, tell the police – it’s that simple. No excuses.

Enforce the City’s Law That Closes the Florida Concealed Carry Gun Loophole
In Philadelphia, the only legal way to carry a firearm is concealed, with a permit granted by the Philadelphia Police Department. Investigators block felons and people with histories of violence or association with known criminals from carrying concealed firearms in public – reducing armed confrontations, and simplifying encounters between police and armed citizens. They either have a permit to carry concealed – or the gun is illegal.
Unfortunately a loophole in this system can be exploited by dangerous people whose concealed carry permit has been revoked or denied – or fear their application for a permit will be unsuccessful. The Florida Loophole is a gap in Pennsylvania law that allows these people to obtain a permit from another state with weaker laws – like Florida, by mail – and use that permit to carry concealed here in Philadelphia. Law makers in Harrisburg are aware of the problem, but refuse to take action to close it. Meanwhile, families in Philadelphia pay the price.
Last fall Marqus Hill shot an unarmed teenager 13 times in Olney, killing him, using a gun he carried using a Florida permit. Philadelphia Police revoked Hill’s Philadelphia permit in 2005 because of his involvement with another shooting. When a judge upheld the decision in 2006 and Hill’s appeal was denied, he got angry and assaulted a police officer. But in 2009 when Hill applied for a permit from Florida – he got one, anyway. Hill navigated a loophole in the system, and a Philadelphia teenager is dead now. That’s wrong.
To date, Florida has granted well over 3,000 permits to Pennsylvania residents – but they won’t let our police review the list to make sure more criminals like Marqus Hill aren’t carrying firearms in our community.
In Pennsylvania, Pennsylvanians should be subject to Pennsylvania Law -- not the laws of Florida, or Utah, or any other state. The City of Philadelphia has already taken steps to close this deadly loophole, through an ordinance introduced recently and passed in City Council. The mayor should sign the bill, and the Police Department should begin aggressively enforcing the local Florida Concealed Carry Loophole law immediately.



Restore Full Funding for Philadelphia’s Gun Violence Taskforce
In 2006, the PA General Assembly appropriated resources to fund a Gun Violence Task Force in Philadelphia to focus on illegal gun trafficking and straw purchasers. Using existing state laws and aggressive investigations, the Gun Violence Task Force has made progress, and its work has led to the arrest, prosecution and conviction of hundreds of offenders for illegal straw purchasing, gun trafficking, and other firearms offenses.
By any standard, the Gun Violence Task Force has been successful, making a substantial dent in illegal gun trafficking in Philadelphia. Despite this success, its work is now threatened by state budget cuts.

The task force was created and funded by a $5 million state grant in 2006, but the budget approved by the state House last year cut its funding by $2 million. That's a 40 percent hit to a program that's actually doing something about gun crime.

Since its inception in December 2006, the task force has opened 1,275 investigations, made 408 arrests, and seized 761 guns. To date, it has convicted 183 people of straw purchasing and other gun-trafficking offenses. In addition, it has helped the city's police solve numerous shootings, burglaries, robberies, and homicides.
The full funding for this proven program that works, prosecuting gun criminals and reducing gun violence in our neighborhoods, should be restored by the legislature and the Governor – and City Council should advocate for that appropriate funding level.

If Mr. Grace gets his way, perhaps someone will have standing to overturn their ordinances.

[Phillygunguy]

Joe Grace is a cancer on Philadelphia

[Lazydog]

You have to buy a gun at a registered dealer, or you can also buy firearms at gun shows as well in Pennsylvania. But for the most part, you have to buy a gun from a registered dealer and go through a background check. That’s federal and that’s state law. It’s to determine whether or not you have a conviction on your record. If you have a conviction on your record, you can’t buy a gun. That’s the law.

Right there is the problem in Philly. They cannot convict thus it is a problem with FL permit and a loophole. The problem is in their own backyard, but as this country is turning into, blame someone or something else. Do not ever admit you have a problem and won't or cant resolve it yourself.

Even if they were to get something passed on the FL permits, that still would not stop the crime in Philly.

[Devrbd]

Even if they were to get something passed on the FL permits, that still would not stop the crime in Philly.

Exactly.

Homicide rate is up now, but what does it prove?

By DANA DIFILIPPO & REGINA MEDINA
Philadelphia Daily News

March 03, 2011

So far this year 56 people have been slain in the city, a 40 percent increase over the first two months of 2010.

The year's homicide tally is the highest by this point of the year since 2007, when Mayor Nutter campaigned on a promise to halve the murder rate within five to seven years.

Compared with 2007, a particularly bad year with 392 slayings, the tally to date is better by six slayings, or about 10 percent.

CONTINUED HERE

And it's not even hot out yet.

[andrewjs18]

my DAMN head hurts.