By James England via concealednation.org
Just nine months after retiring from the New York Police Department, a 43-year-old woman was robbed at gunpoint while trying to get into her car in Newark, New Jersey. Thankfully, she was legally able to arm herself and used her gun to shoot both robbers.
According to NJ.com, both Tahje M. Hunt, 22, and Brian P. Moore, 27, were wounded in the shooting. The two men were evacuated to a nearby medical center and were treated for non-life-threatening gunshot wounds. Both are in custody while an investigation takes place.
One of the suspects had a replica gun which law enforcement say was used to try to rob the former police officer. In New Jersey, using a replica gun in the commission of a violent felony is virtually the same as using a real one. In any case, it didn’t work.
Of course, if this woman hadn’t been a former NYPD officer, she likely wouldn’t have had the leeway to legally obtain and carry a handgun for daily use. Had the two suspects robbed nearly any other woman on the street that night, they likely would have been met with little to no resistance.
The good news — they chose poorly. There are two fewer thugs on the street now thanks to the fast work of a retired cop. Maybe some day New Jersey will open up their concealed carry program to more than just active duty and retired police officers. It would make places like Newark much less attractive for violent criminals looking to make a quick buck. Maybe some day, thugs like Hunt and Moore will be too afraid to ply their trade in Newark. Maybe some day pigs will fly.
Fortunately you don’t have to be a former police officer to carry every day in most other states. The decision to carry is your own. Do the right thing and protect yourself with a concealed carry permit and handgun — and carry that handgun every day. After all, it’s your right.
Tahje? That’s almost as bad as another name I read on this site recently… Lasonya.
ATF Agent Gonorrhea Jackson
Cop privilege.
Wait a min, even “former” officers don’t fall under the New Jersey carry laws.
This sounds more internally protected than actually granted!
Jersey sucks, for those of you living there, elect better representation.
Check HR 218 Law Enforcement Officers Safety Act. All officially retired law enforcement officers can legally carry in any state or US Territory with an agency retiree ID identifying them as a law enforcement officer and a card showing they have qualified annually issued under the rules of the state in which they reside. It’s been in effect since 2004.
Seems like retired military officers should be right behind, doesn’t it? I bet there is not a NYPD officer in the past 100 years who has been shot at as much as me.
Frankly the law seems Constitutionally dubious, but provides a useful precedent for 50-state reciprocity. Which is also Constitutionally dubious, but I just don’t care any more. Now it’s all about who wins.
“I just don’t care any more. Now it’s all about who wins.”
I’m not quite ready to buy, yet, but I am listening to the sales pitch.
The law uses the erroneous court interpretation of the “Commerce Clause”, but here it is a good use of a bad interpretation. Perhaps they will use the same for the National Carry law.
Tell that to the Pa Trooper who was nailed for having his service pistol on him while in uniform and in his patrol car.
Things have just gotten too out of control there, its too far gone, they are at the point where it needs MAJOR intervention to change anything.
Believe me, we try…
Scott Garrett, seven term, NRA A-rated congressman from NJ, just lost to a POS F-rated Democrat 51%-47%…there is no hope for NJ…stay away, don’t do business there and pray for the conservative, pro-gun 40% of the population stuck there due to job or family reasons.
So, 9 months after *retiring* from NYPD, she’s 43? Do the people of NYC know about this scam, or don’t they care because we can just make the rich pay their fair share? That’s ridiculous.
Well, if she started when she was 22 years old, that is 20 years on the force (probably retired at age 42 and is now 43) and probably qualifies for retirement … although at a fairly modest annual pay???
At any rate, I had the same immediate thought.
Wow, I’d like to retire at 42 too. This sounds as good as the LAPD’s retirement scam. When they’re not acting as highwaymen, robbing us on the side of the road, they’re robbing us in retirement as well. These cops really know how to rob and steal from the public. I guess they learned from the best.
A lot of them don’t even turn in 20 years. They get out on early disability. How many other people get out on twenty years full pension. Same thing for most State Cops, even Game Wardens. Hell, most people don’t even get any kind of pension any more. Our State and Local governments are going bankrupt over these pensions and we are paying $4000, $5000, 6,7,8, 9, $10,000 in property taxes (New Jersey) a year for the privilege of living in our own modest houses. It just isn’t sustainable.
Half pay, then she takes the other full time civilian government job her friend set her up with. At least that’s what the DMV folks do around here.
“There are two fewer thugs on the street now thanks to the fast work of a retired cop.”
Unfortunately, they will probably be back on the streets within two years … and will have spent that two years refining their craft while receiving free room and board, meals, medical, and dental care.
Two years? You’re being generous. My money’s on two months.
The replica gun still means it’s armed robbery, but yeah, it will surely be a mitigating factor…
Unless Congress passes national reciprocity, New Jersey will never recognize the right to bear arms. This is because the people there are of particularly slavish mind, in the main.
My neighbors grew up in New Jersey and moved to my state after completing college. Unfortunately, they retain their New Jersey aversion to the Second Amendment with as much gusto today as they did 25 years ago.
They have so much aversion to firearms, in fact, that they would literally disown their adult son (who is about 23 years old now) if the knew he was actively trying to acquire a handgun and concealed carry license.
How do I know this? There was a recent armed home invasion and the home invader was supposedly on foot in our neighborhood. I was carrying openly when I went outside to warn neighbors who were oblivious and my New Jersey neighbor’s son came forward. He was quite pleased that I was armed and chatted for quite a while — which included sharing his interest to purchase a handgun and the jeopardy he faces if his family finds out.
Good for her…nationwide reciprocity can’t come soon enough! Yeah I thought 43 was awfully young but more power to her.
“Maybe some day, thugs like Hunt and Moore will be too afraid to ply their trade in Newark.”
Anyone on this site who has even a cursory knowledge about me knows that I am as pro-carry as anyone can be. So this may come as a shocker (or maybe not) … I don’t think violent criminals are concerned about concealed carry.
First of all, most violent criminals never seem to even consider the fact that a person in public might very well be armed. Second, violent attacks happen with roughly equal frequency in locations where virtually no one is armed (New York City) as well as locations where concealed carry is relatively popular (like Indianapolis, Indiana).
I think the reason that concealed carry does not yet significantly discourage violent criminals is because it is invisible if done right (thus out of sight, out of mind) and because so few people carry in public which means a fairly tiny risk to attackers — especially attackers who are willing to quickly extricate themselves. (They figure they can outmaneuver their defender and come away from the attack unscathed or at worst with a minor wound.) If we ever get to the point that one in six adults in public are armed and good shots under pressure, then I think concealed carry will be a major factor that discourages violent criminals. Until that time, I predict that we will continue to see about the same level of violent crime as we see right now.
I pretty much agree, My hope for resulting decrease in crime is from the hope for *dead* perps, not scared ones.
More news worthy nypd officer actualy hits 2 intended targets.
The New York City Police Department’s requirement that all duty handguns have a 12 pound trigger does not apply to retirees. When people have a normal trigger weight, it really isn’t surprising at all that they can shoot accurately.
From the NYPDRecruit website:
“After 20 years of service, a retired Police Officer will receive:
Estimated earnings of $46,000 per year, comprised of 50 % of salary, longevity, night shift differential, overtime and an annual $12,000 payment from a Variable Supplement Fund.
. . .
“This dollar amount will be higher for uniformed members that retire above the rank of Police Officer.
“Full health benefits
“Annuity Fund and Deferred Compensation Plan.
“The amount of the funds depends on the market value of the portfolio that the officer has chosen while active.”
The NYPD is currently paying 33,000 active and 46,000 retired cops.
Wow! That’s a very generous retirement!
Most agencies here, you have to be at least 50, and have at least 20 on the job.
Your age and years of service have to add up to at least 75.
Then you buy your own health insurance.
Yup. Based on a life expectancy of 80 years, NYPD retirees at the lowest level will pocket at least $1.75 million in cash payments, not including benefits.
Most soon-to-be-retired cops load up on OT as they near retirement, since their retirement pay is calculated based on salary plus OT. Since a run of the mill officer with 20 years in makes over $80 grand base and can pocket another $80 grand in OT, the annual retirement pay would be 1/2 of $160,000.
That’s not chump change, and the higher ranks make more. Plus, they get to shoot people.
They get to shoot dogs too, and boy do they take advantage of it.
That’s why it takes 12 hours or so to clear a major accident on I-95 in Connecticut. All the State troopers go on overtime. Especially the one’s near retirement because their retirement pay is based on their last couple of years earnings.
That’s why it takes 12 hours to clear a major traffic accident on I-95. All the troopers go on overtime to direct traffic until it gets cleared up. Retirement is based on the last couple of years earnings so the senior guys are turn out to make sure those last couple of years are padded. Who can blame them?
This is why I say very few cops/Feds will disobey a direct order to confiscate firearms or impose some sort of unconstitutional marshal law. It’s literally a million dollar decision.
Huh, surprised she didn’t hit 12 civilians by accident given the NYPD’s history with terrible marksmanship.
That permit does nothing to protect you. Quite the opposite: it makes your possession and likely carrying of a firearm known to govt enforcers who do not have your best interests in mind. To be sure, many of those enforcers either do not care or actually approve, but all of them are under a deep pyramid of command and somewhere above them is certain to be a functionary who despises self-reliant and self-defending individuals.
That handgun, however…!
“A catastrophic failure of the victim selection process.”
Massad Ayoob
Both of the crooks will end up on a “victims of gun violence” website.
I certainly hope NJ opens up its CCW licensing to the general public one day.
Honestly, I wish that the various PBA and FOP chapters would stand with the people on this issue. IIRC, they’ve largely remained silent.
Thank goodness I’m planning on moving to PA within the next year.
You’ll love it, best decision ever.
It will be like moving to a whole new country.
For those who think police officers get a great retirement, they do, if they make it to retirement. They deserve it! We lost one this week in San Antonio while he was writing a traffic ticket. On the thought of universal concealed carry, the Federal Government should stay out of it. This is a States Rights matter. When the folks in New Jersey and other “Progressive” states get tired of being attacked by criminals, they may decide to arm and defend themselves. If not, they can continue to vote for politicians that don’t care about their safety.
“If they make it to retirement”… yeah, right. Sure, they die on rare occasions. But they aren’t even in the top ten lines of work for death rates. Being a cop is pretty damn safe. There are plenty of others who work in industries that are quite a bit more dangerous and quite a bit more socially useful, who get no pensions.
A lot of people complain about the pensions retired cops receive but say nothing about the similar retirement military personnel receive.
Maybe that’s because career soldiers, bye and large, actually deserve their pensions. Cops, on the other hand, are enforcers for the state who have legal immunity to murder (and hoo boy, do they take advantage of that). Sure, there are good ones (we’ve got some of them here on TTaG), brave men and women who will risk their lives without hesitation to protect us. But most of them are more in line with the Orlando SWAT. They’re fine kicking down doors to arrest someone for smoking a joint, but if there is ANY real threat to them, well…
Who are you to say that Leo’s don’t deserve their pension yet service members do? Are you a LEO and a veteran? Both professions took the same oath to uphold the Constitution and defend our country. There are bad people in both professions who abuse their power to harm innocent people and restrict their rights. If the government starts to confiscate guns, do you think that the military will defend us while most of the Leo’s try arrest us? The patriotic men from both professions will stand together to defend freedom. We people who love the constitution and freedom need to stand together and stop this anti cop rhetoric.
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