Eye On Dave Hansen

From WBAY.
A step away from taking the real ones away too!
30th District, State Senator Dave Hansen (D-Green Bay)

"Fake Guns a Real Concern for Lawmakers and Police
By Matt Smith
Updated: May 6, 2009 08:29 AM "

A bill working its way through the state Legislature could soon impose jail time for using a fake gun in public.

It's a bill recommended by police who must always respond as if a real gun were in play.

Last Friday night, several Green Bay police officers were dispatched to the city's west side for a weapons call. The report was two juveniles walking around with rifles.

Once on the scene, officers learned they were toy guns.

"You can't just go ahead and assume it's not real and that it is fake and it's no big deal --because it is a big deal in this day in age," Captain Karl Fleury said.

And it could become even bigger, meaning potential jail time if the situation escalated and the fake guns were used to threaten another person.

"If kids are playing, I don't think that's the intent here, but if you're committing a crime it would increase that as well, because if you're using a fake gun or a real gun it's a threat," State Senator Dave Hansen (D-Green Bay) said.

Hansen is the lead author of the bill in the Senate, which if made into law would increase the penalty for using any type of fake or replica gun to threaten someone or help commit a crime.

He was contacted by Green Bay police concerned about the growing number of incidents involving fake weapons.

"Nowadays with the replicas and lookalikes, they're so realistic you can't determine if they're real or not," Fleury said.

"From our standpoint, not just resources but there's a potential for a real tragedy happening," Sergeant Pat DeWall of the Appleton Police Department said.

Right now if you use a fake gun to threaten someone, you're fined no more than $500. If this bill passes, that fine would increase up to $10,000 plus the potential to spend up to nine months in jail.

Police and legislators want this bill to send a strong message not only to criminals but kids who, like last Friday, think playing with a toy gun is no big deal.

"The children need to know the risk they run in this day in age by displaying or having something like that," Fleury said.

Fake Guns a Real Concern for Lawmakers and Police - WBAY-TV Green Bay-Fox Cities-Northeast Wisconsin News:

Why do we need another law?

Fake, real, use one to commit a crime and you go to jail.

Where's the hang up here?

Just the next step to banning real and all guns.