BELLEVUE, WA – Another bogus argument of gun control extremists – that sensible concealed carry laws create an increased threat to police officers – has been refuted by statistics from the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund and published by USA Today.

The number of officer fatalities due to gunfire is the lowest in 50 years, noted Alan Gottlieb, chairman of the Citizens Committee for the Right to Keep and Bear Arms. A report out Monday said that this year, 41 officers have died from gunshot wounds, down 40 percent from the 68 who died by gunfire in 2007. Yet the number of concealed carry permits issued by the states has risen, dramatically in some areas, in the past 12 months.

“Better training and equipment have contributed to this decline,” Gottlieb stated, “but it must be noted for the record that growing numbers of legally-armed citizens have not resulted in more police slayings. That has been one of the many lame arguments offered by gun control fanatics over the past few years when they fought against expanded concealed carry rights.

“The death of one police officer is a tragedy,” he continued, “but common sense right-to-carry statutes have no relation to the criminal slayings of police officers, and anti-gun rights extremists know it.”

The National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund reports that more officers have died in traffic-related incidents than in shootings, same as last year, Gottlieb noted.

“There are, today, more legally-armed citizens than ever before,” he commented, “and more privately-owned firearms than ten or even five years ago. More Americans own semiautomatic sport-utility rifles, growing numbers of women own guns for personal protection and more citizens are involved in shooting sports.

“None of these law-abiding citizens pose any threat to public safety, and especially to the safety of our local police,” Gottlieb concluded. “We expect the new Congress, and state legislatures around the country, to keep this in perspective as the gun ban lobby mounts new attacks on firearm civil rights in 2009.”

The recent Christmas shooting will no doubt spur more debate on the City’s Right and Duty to protect its residents.

Do you believe that must include more restrictions on the ownership of Fire Arms?

Do you believe that must include fewer restrictions on the ownership of Fire Arms?

Do you believe we have a right to CCWs  (Carry Concealed Weapons Permits)?

Good people can and will disagree. As an elected official I have a duty to listen to all sides of an issue and based on sound evidence, make a decision and take a course of action.

Please see my CCW blog and feel free to make your comments.

Thank You,

David Hernandez

Candidate for Mayor of Los Angeles.

What still sticks in my mind is the comment about the residents being armed and that they were lucky. The first reading seemed to say they were lucky that their gun was not used against them. But as the criminals were already armed, I believe they were lucky they were as well.

Time for Los Angeles to re-evaluate its anti gun mind set and encourage more residents to the trained, armed and “lucky”.

David Hernandez

Valley Village, CA 91607

By Brandon Lowrey, Staff Writer

WOODLAND HILLS – One of several men who stormed a suburban home Friday was shot dead by one of the residents, who blasted the intruders as they entered, in an incident police were calling a home-invasion robbery attempt.

Three or four men kicked in the door of the house in the 24300 block of Burbank Boulevard, setting off the gunfight, Los Angeles police said. Aside from the one intruder killed, no one was injured.

“Obviously, these residents here do have a right to protect themselves,” said Los Angeles police Lt. Steven Sambar. “Those people are extremely lucky.”

Police were searching for two or three other suspects, described as African-American men in their 20s.

Gunfire and screams pierced the neighborhood’s usual quiet about 2:45 p.m., after the men first knocked on the home’s front door – then kicked it in, Los Angeles police Sgt. Jeff Nuttall said.

Inside was a couple in their 60s and their two sons in their 20s. At least one of the sons was armed, and he opened fire, hitting one of the intruders.

The man died in the doorway, clutching a revolver, Nuttall said. His identity was not immediately available.

The intruders shot back, but didn’t hit anyone, then fled. They may have escaped in a silver sedan, Sambar said.

Inside the home, shell casings from various firearms littered the floor and bullet holes peppered the walls, he said.

Police detained a man about a block away but said he was not considered suspect.

Investigators have no reason to believe the suspects knew the victims beforehand, Nuttall said.

Asked how often victims of home invasion are able to chase off their attackers, Nuttall said: “Unfortunately, it’s very rare.”

Violent crime is rare in this middle-class neighborhood of single-family homes, LAPD Lt. Steven Sambar said.

“We don’t have that type a crime in this area, so it’s very unusual,” he said.

A police barricade stranded neighboring residents, who were unable to return home for several hours until authorities finished combing the scene.

Only a car crash a couple of years ago had caused so much commotion here, said Sharon Friedman, a resident of eight years. “That was the most exciting thing that ever happened here,” she said.

“You don’t ever see any policemen around here,” said Carmen Kaplan, 68, who has lived in a nearby house for 37 years. “I tell everybody I live in the safest part of the Valley ever. My kids grew up here. I walk here every night.

“It’s just a very sad thing.”

brandon.lowrey@dailynews.com 818-713-3699

June 3, 2008

Los Angeles City Clerk

Elections Division

200 No. Spring ST. Rm 285

Los Angeles, California 90012

Re: Notice of Intention Charter Amendment Petition

Per: CA Election Code 9202

Notice of Intent to Circulate Petition

     Notice is hereby given by the person whose name appears hereon of their intention to circulate the petition within the City of Los Angeles for the purpose of enacting a Charter Amendment. A statement of the reason of the proposed action as contemplated in the petition is as follows:

The Bill of Rights of the US Constitution provides clear mandates for governance at the local and highest level.

Amendment II includes the words” the right of the people to keep and bear arms, shall not be infringed”.

It is clear; these words are not solely addressing the issue of firearm ownership, but also to “bear” arms.

The founding documents, the Declaration of Independence also provide direction and under what circumstances action must be taken.

We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.

That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed, That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness.

 The State of California requires local governments create criteria for the issuance of CCW permits as well as issue the permits where warranted.  As the City of Los Angeles has failed to do so and has taken an adversary position to such policies and issuance of such permits, the City Charter must be amended to begin such a process.

David R. Hernandez

5312 Bellingham Ave. #3

Valley Village, CA 91607

Proposed Charter Amendment

The Charter of the City of Los Angeles shall prohibit it elected officials, appointed representatives, and or commissioners from impeding the issuance of permits to carry concealed firearms to those citizens legally entitled to do so.

This Charter Amendment shall rescind any and all ordinances, policies and procedures currently in place that are counterproductive to the right of the people to “Bear Arms”.

The City of Los Angeles shall adhere to nationally recognized guidelines when approving and or denying such permits. In no instance shall any guidelines be instated in an attempt to impede or prohibit the issuance of such permits to those entitled to receive them.

The City shall be required to establish it criteria within six months of the passage of said charter amendment.

The Charter Amendment shall be voted upon but registered voters in the City of Los Angeles and shall become effective upon a simple majority voting in the affirmative.