Detroit Police Chief Lauds Second Amendment, Armed Citizens For Keeping Crime Down

Robby Soave | Jul. 17, 2014 7:23 pm

Big city police chiefs are notoriously supportive of gun control, but Detroit Police Chief James Craig has repeatedly offered praise for the Second Amendment and an armed citizenry. Craig thinks that several high-profile cases of citizens defending themselves against home invaders may have deterred would-be criminals in recent months. From The Detroit News:

Detroit has experienced 37 percent fewer robberies in 2014 than during the same period last year, 22 percent fewer break-ins of businesses and homes, and 30 percent fewer carjackings. Craig attributed the drop to better police work and criminals being reluctant to prey on citizens who may be carrying guns.

“Criminals are getting the message that good Detroiters are armed and will use that weapon,” said Craig, who has repeatedly said he believes armed citizens deter crime. “I don’t want to take away from the good work our investigators are doing, but I think part of the drop in crime, and robberies in particular, is because criminals are thinking twice that citizens could be armed.

“I can’t say what specific percentage is caused by this, but there’s no question in my mind it has had an effect,” Craig said.

Some of that evidence is anecdotal, and it’s obviously quite a short period of time. Still, it’s nice to have a police chief who recognizes that people have a right to defend themselves—and are in many cases better suited to do so than the police.

For more on how regular citizens are filling in the gaps in a city with vast government service deficiencies, watch Reason TV’s “Anarchy in Detroit.”