Bill proposes a safe system for getting weapons out of abuser’s hands

[SecularMotion]

RACINE COUNTY – Alleged abusers under court injunction are required by law to surrender all of their firearms, but there is no statewide policy to help ensure it happens, said Racine County Sheriff Christopher Schmaling.

It’s what Schmaling sees as a loophole in the law, a gap that had him pushing for a fix in Madison on Thursday.

“The loophole is that no one is following up with the surrendering of the firearms. It’s perfectly acceptable for a person who has been ordered by the judge to turn over their firearms to say I’ll take care of that. It’s sort of on the honor system and there is no follow through,” Schmaling said.

Schmaling has worked with officials in Racine County to put a system in place to help ensure abusers’ guns are handed over to authorities. That system includes cooperation with judges and the creation of a domestic violence specialist position within the sheriff’s office, whose job is to serve injunctions and confiscate guns.

http://journaltimes.com/news/local/bill-proposes-a-safe-system-for-getting-weapons-out-of/article_50e57704-9a97-11e3-8cad-0019bb2963f4.html

[Straw Man]

1. It's very clear ...

Alleged abusers under court injunction are required by law to surrender all of their firearms, but there is no statewide policy to help ensure it happens, said Racine County Sheriff Christopher Schmaling.

It’s what Schmaling sees as a loophole in the law, a gap that had him pushing for a fix in Madison on Thursday.

... that he doesn't know what a "loophole" is. Here's a hint, Sheriff Schmaling: Choosing not to enforce a law is not a "loophole," and calling it one sounds suspiciously like making an excuse for the failure to perform one's duties in a timely fashion.

In other words, this should have been done long ago.