Council Pushing For Strict Policy For Kids, Guns
Cleveland Residents Concerned About Increasing Violence
POSTED: 6:50 pm EDT May 18,
2005
CLEVELAND -- The effort to keep kids safe from guns is picking up steam.Cleveland council members took another step Wednesday in their campaign to stop gun violence, reported NewsChannel5 government specialist Tony Gaskins.Many Cleveland residents are afraid and concerned about the increasing gun violence in their neighborhoods.At a public safety committee hearing, police Chief Michael McGrath was grilled on what the department is doing to track the source of weapons that end up in so many crimes involving kids."I do know that if somebody is robbed and if we can identify the suspects and also identify where the weapons came from, that is something we follow up immediately," said McGrath.The committee wants a zero-tolerance policy on kids committing crimes with guns.But in a state where it's legal to carry concealed weapons, Council President Frank Jackson admits there is only so much they can do."It very much limits out ability to prohibit handguns in the city of Cleveland and it greatly increases the likelihood of children being able to gain access to guns and do harm," said Jackson.The committee invited the agents from the FBI and the Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives to answer question, but both agencies claimed it would be against agency regulations to help influence proposed legislation.The committee is planning to hold another hearing and will debate a new strategy aimed at reducing the number of guns in the community.
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