HOUSTON, TX- Much like Democratic presidential hopefuls, who want to disband the electoral college so that liberals in metropolitan areas get to dictate the political landscape, there are those who would have you believe that big city police chiefs want to abolish the 2nd Amendment and their opinions are more valid than other chiefs and sheriffs that are pro-2A.
But they do not stop there. They would also have us believe that all law enforcement is in favor of gun-grabbing.
Former NYC Mayor Michael Bloomberg, the primary financier of Everytown for Gun Safety, is one of the leading proponents of that argument.
Everytown was originally branded Mayors Against Illegal Guns. The original battle fought by Mayors was the repeal of the Tiahrt Amendment. That amendment was legislation that protected the personal information of private gun owners.
There was a group in the background supporting Bloomberg’s push to overturn Tiahrt.
The Police Executive Research Forum (PERF) is a DC-based “think tank.” It is made up of police chiefs from large cities and has long taken an anti-gun stance. The chiefs that make up this group tend to be from cities that are pro-criminal, anti-cop and anti-2nd Amendment.  
And just for an extra kick in the teeth, PERF is a tax-funded group.
Between 2001 and 2017, PERF has received a combined $35.2 million in funding from federal, state and local governments in the form of grants and contracts.
Additionally, PERF receives millions more annually from fees charged for training ($9500 per officer for a 3-week course) and conference registrations ($3.3 million in 2018 alone).
Nothing better than seeing our tax- payer dollars being used to attempt to indoctrinate members of law enforcement with unconstitutional ideology.
PERF supports every gun control policy imaginable, including, but not limited to:
  • Restrictions on firearm magazine capacity
  • Implementation of Universal Background Checks
  • “Red Flag” Laws
  • Microstamping technology in all new firearms
  • Opposition to removal of suppressors from NFA restriction
  • A reinstatement of Senator Dianne Feinstein‘s 1994 Assault Weapons ban, where she  famously stated on 60 Minutes that she would support door-to-door gun confiscation
  • They are also fighting against all consideration of a National Concealed Carry Reciprocity.
While there are plenty of politicians that use PERF to push their agendas and platforms, there are plenty of police chiefs that do the same thing.
Enter Houston Police Chief Art Acevedo. He is no stranger to controversy. He recently came out in support of making Houston an immigration sanctuary city.
He also got locked in a Twitter battle last year with Texas Republican Senator John Cornyn. Coming on the heels of a pregnant Florida woman who defended her family against in intruders using an AR-15, Acevedo said:

“In 32 years of law enforcement I have yet to see a community member use an AR-15 for self-defense…I’d bet the house that they have been used many, many times to slaughter innocent Americans as opposed to self-defense.”

Now, in the wake of a murdered officer within the Houston Police Department, Acevedo again went on the political warpath.
NOTE: As a career law enforcement officer, we are not calling Acevedo’s grief and sadness over the death of 10 people at Santa Fe High School and Sgt. Brewster into question. It is the political grandstanding we take issue with.
In multiple ways, Acevedo let everyone know that the only opinion on guns that matters is his. If you disagree, then you are stupid, and your thoughts are irrelevant.
Acevedo slammed political inaction following the mass murders in Santa Fe. The chief wasn’t selective as he called out elected state and federal officials for not doing enough in the wake of recent mass shootings.
On Friday, Chief Acevedo took to Facebook criticizing elected officials and said he had “hit rock bottom” and “shed tears of sadness, pain and anger” after the mass shooting at Santa Fe High School that killed 10.
This was the message from the chief:
To all my Facebook friends. Today I spent the day dealing with another mass shooting of children and a responding police officer who is clinging to life. I’m not ashamed to admit I’ve shed tears of sadness, pain and anger.
I know some have strong feelings about gun rights but I want you to know I’ve hit rock bottom and I am not interested in your views as it pertains to this issue.
Please do not post anything about guns aren’t the problem and there’s little we can do. My feelings won’t be hurt if you de-friend me and I hope yours won’t be if you decide to post about your views and I de-friend you.
I have never accepted the status-quo in anything I do and I’ve never accepted defeat. And I won’t do it now. I will continue to speak up and will stand up for what my heart and my God commands me to do, and I assure you he hasn’t instructed me to believe that gun-rights are bestowed by him.
The hatred being spewed in our country and the new norms we, so-called people of faith are accepting, is as much to blame for so much of the violence in our once pragmatic Nation.
This isn’t a time for prayers, and study and Inaction, it’s a time for prayers, action and the asking of God’s forgiveness for our inaction (especially the elected officials that ran to the cameras today, acted in a solemn manner, called for prayers, and will once again do absolutely nothing).
I close by saying, I wish those that move on from this page the best. May God Bless you and keep you.
Acevedo told Face the Nation Sunday that political leaders are not listening to voters when it comes to gun regulations and reforms.

“Let me tell you, people at the state level and the federal level in too many places in our country are not doing anything other than offering prayers,” Acevedo said.

He continued on his political soapbox.

“We need to start using the ballot box and ballot initiatives to take the matters out of the hands of people that are doing nothing that are elected into the hands of the people to see that the will of the people in this country is actually carried out.”

Moreover, Acevedo added that one policy lawmakers should consider would be a stronger law that mandates proper security of firearms in a living environments. Gov. Greg Abbott said the suspect in Friday’s shooting used a shotgun and a .38-caliber revolver that belonged to his father, reported CBS News.

“If you have firearms in your home and you do not secure them and you don’t secure them in a manner that can preclude someone from grabbing them and taking them and carrying out this carnage, [there] is a criminal liability that attaches,” Acevedo suggested.

Bill Bratton, the former police commissioner, NYC; chief, LAPD; police commissioner, Boston tweeted in support of Acevedo.
Furthermore, Chief Acevedo said local governments are beginning to make a difference by taking matters into their hands and enacting reforms.

“I think that the American people, gun owners—the vast majority of which are pragmatic and actually support gun sense and gun reform in terms of keeping guns in the right hands,” the chief said.

This isn’t the first time Acevedo has spoken out on this issue. Following the mass shooting in Las Vegas, Acevedo also took to social media and said inaction on gun control has “failed thousands of families.”

“When will we stand up and say enough?” Acevedo said in October.

But even more appalling was Acevedo’s comments following the murder of HPD Sgt. Brewster.
There is a saying attributed to former Chicago mayor and White House chief of staff Rahm Emmanuel, “Never let a serious crisis go to waste.” Emmanuel, meet Houston Police Chief Art Acevedo.
Houston Police Sgt. Christopher Brewster was killed in the line of duty last Saturday while responding to a domestic violence call.
Brewster was shot as he exited his patrol vehicle after spotting the couple involved in the domestic incident. The suspect, 25-year-old Arturo Solis fired multiple rounds at Brewster, striking him several times.
Despite being gravely wounded, Sgt. Brewster was able to relay information to responding officers regarding the description of the shooter, as well as his direction of travel.
 Emergency responders performed CPR, but the sergeant died shortly after arriving at Memorial Hermann Hospital. He was wearing a bullet-proof vest, however the location of the gunshot wound was in such a location as to render the vest useless.
In a court hearing Monday, Solis cried as he stood before a state district judge. He is facing a capital murder charge in connection with the shooting.
Two family members, who identified themselves only as Solis’ siblings, didn’t say much, except the usual “he’s a good kid.” Yup, good kids shoot police officers in cold blood.
According to his court appointed lawyer, Solis “has a history of mental illness” which is documented as far back as juvenile offenses. His family also said that he showed signs of depression in his teens and was not taken his prescribed medication. Setting up a defense of mental incapacity, no doubt.
According to KPRC, Solis has a lengthy criminal record back to 2014, including arrests for assault of a family member, harassment and burglary of a motor vehicle, among other crimes.
This of course begs the question of where the gun came from. How did someone with obvious mental illnesses and prior domestic violence conviction get a handgun?
Our guess is he didn’t go to the local gun store and purchase it. Of course, his attorney, Anthony Osso, is searching for a “breakdown in the system,” saying:

“That’s really a problem for us and we want to see where there was a breakdown in the system.”  

Back to the Houston chief, Acevedo wasted no time in blaming the lax criminal justice system and Solis for the shooting. Oh, never mind. He did, however blame Senators Mitch McConnell, Ted Cruz, and John Cornyn, calling them out by name.
The issue that got Acevedo in a tizzy was the Violence Against Women Act, which provides funding and grants for domestic abuse programs. The reauthorization of the act was submitted on March 7 of this year as a bi-partisan bill which passed the House with bi-partisan support. The reauthorization is currently tied up in the Senate.
As it goes with most bills that are presented, the reauthorization bill in the Senate, introduced by Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-CA), goes beyond the original intent of the bill. Last week, the Senate failed to pass the bill, blocked by Sen. Joni Ernst (R-IA).
Democrats are trying to pad the bill with better housing options for abused women, more federal money dedicated to abuse prevention, and protections for transgender victims, the last item being probably the most controversial of those three.
The major sticking point, however, is an expansion of the current ban on firearm purchases that are tied to the bill, which includes current and former spouses who are convicted of abuse or are under a restraining order, to include dating partners. The National Rifle Association along with several Republicans objects to the part including firearms.
Well, this has Acevedo bent out of shape.

“I don’t want to hear about how much they support law enforcement,” Acevedo said at a press conference.

He intentionally held the press conference outside the medical examiner’s office where Sgt. Brewster’s body was being prepared for a police escort.

“I don’t want to hear about how much they care about the sanctity of lives,” he said.

Acevedo then addressed the failure to reauthorize the Violence Against Women Act and blamed the National Rifle Association, saying the organization, “doesn’t like the fact that we want to take firearms out of the hands of boyfriends that abuse girlfriends.” Great sound bite there chief.
He continued:

“And who killed our sergeant? A boyfriend abusing his girlfriend. So you’re either here for women and children and our daughters and our sisters and our aunts or you’re here for the NRA. Make up your minds,” he said. “It’s time for the Senate to act.”

Last week, Acevedo and Sen. Cornyn got into a second “Twitter battle” over the use of the VAWA.  In his tweet, Acevedo suggested the three senators “lock yourselves in a room in conference & don’t come out until you hatch it out. LE will gladly help.”

“Unfortunately, important legislation like this has fallen casualty to impeachment mania. We will keep trying to pass a bipartisan bill but it takes two (parties) to tango,” Cornyn replied in a tweet.

Chief, your liberal side is showing.
It should also be noted that Acevedo is president of the Major Cities Chiefs Association, a liberal leaning group of big city chiefs who among other things have called for universal background checks on all gun sales.
It isn’t surprising actually. Since chiefs in big cities such as Houston, Chicago and New York, for example are political appointments, they are beholden to towing the line as far as the powers that be are concerned.
Since large cities in the US are typically run by Democrats, it makes sense that political hacks such as Acevedo would look to make a political statement by blaming Republicans. Maybe he is looking for an administration position when the next Democrat is elected president.
At least Acevedo didn’t lay the entire blame for Sgt. Brewster’s murder on the senators. He actually stepped up and, referring to Solis said:

“What people will see is a coward who took the life of a hero.”

Back to Acevedo’s uncalled for attacks on Republican senators and the NRA, perhaps he should redirect his ire toward the Democrats, who are using a bill that should have bipartisan support and loading it with anti-gun provisions which they know will not obtain Republican support.
Further, there is absolutely no basis for his premise that making things harder for law-abiding citizens to exercise their Second Amendment rights would have prevented Sgt. Brewster from being gunned down, or on a larger scale, making the city of Houston safer for its citizens.  
By his grandstanding, he is embarrassing himself, but more importantly he is embarrassing the men and women of the Houston Police Department. If Chief Acevedo wants to be a political activist, perhaps he should resign and run for political office.