A recent law enacted to curb the continuing spread of domestic violence has begun to affect police officers. The law makes it a crime for anyone convicted of domestic violence to carry a gun. Many officers who had been convicted of such a crime have been reassigned to desk positions which do not require the use of a gun. While some police groups and officers have criticized the law, many others continue to support the law as necessary for the protection of abuse victims. Dallas Police Chief Ben Click commented, “I don’t want people on this police department that don’t have the maturity or self-control that is necessary to do this job.” Jan Langbeing, also of Dallas, who works with domestic abuse victims commented, “If my husband hits me, and I call the police, it doesn’t affect his job at all. If my husband is a police officer and I know that they would also by involved, maybe I wouldn’t make the call, maybe I’d stay in that violent home just a little bit longer.
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