One criticism we often level toward our anti-gun opponents is how so many of them are also anti-police, claiming law enforcement is full of racist, jackbooted thugs, while also wanting to make it so that they’re the only people who have guns. It’s a legitimate criticism, to be sure. After all, why would you want to restrict guns to just being possessed by those who you think are pure evil?

That’s like people saying, “You know what? Guns are evil. Let’s just make sure the Nazis are the only ones who can legally possess them, okay?”

Yes, that’s pretty stupid. However, it’s not as stupid as a mayoral candidate in Minneapolis who wants to disarm the police.

MINNEAPOLIS (KMSP) – State Representative and Minneapolis mayoral candidate Raymond Dehn is calling for major policing changes, proposing to take away guns from the majority of officers.

Dehn is one of several candidates running to beat current Minneapolis Mayor Betsy Hodges in the fall.

He recently won the support of voters at the Democratic Farmer Labor convention and now his call to disarm police of their side guns is garnering major attention.

“I’m not saying they don’t have access to that, just like they have access to more lethal weapons in their cars, I would believe they would still have access to their guns in their cars,” said Dehn.

Dehn says there needs to be drastic changes in how officers are trained.

He would be open to officers using other means to protect themselves like a night stick or pepper spray.

Hoe. Lee. Crap.

That’s weapons-grade stupid right there, ladies and gentleman.

Dehn clearly doesn’t understand what police are up against out on the streets, or just how little time they have to draw a weapon when one is needed. If they need one, going back to the car is generally not an option except for the Fantasyland Metro Police Department. For real officers on the streets, they need a weapon they can reach in an instant.

Police officers will tell you that the sketchiest moments as an officer are situations like a traffic stop. Pull a guy over for a busted tail light, and he might be a guy who just hasn’t gotten it fixed…or he might be a drug trafficker who doesn’t want to risk a search. A lot of officers have been gunned down doing what looks like routine things.

So, just when are they going to get to a firearm?

Dehn’s idea is one of those that will garner support from some of the more progressive sectors of the American public who have been calling for disarming police departments for some time. Luckily, I believe that those are a small minority of even the political left in this country. They’re just pretty loud about their stupidity.

The problem is, it sounds like this idea is starting to gain traction, and it can’t be allowed to grow. This kind of idiocy will result not just in dead officers, but in increased crime as the bad guys will know the officers confronting them won’t be able to defend themselves.

Though, sometimes the more paranoid parts of my brain wonder if that’s ultimately the point.

Hat tip: Gun Free Zone