A 'Competition Rifle' By Any Other Name . . .

Let me get this straight (actually, this is not the first time I've seen this).

The City of Cleveland MAY arm itself with "military style tactical rifles?" Aren't those the "assault weapons" that they want to ban? Why don't they call them that?

We saw the same thing in Columbus a few years ago. While the City Council was weighing a ban on "assault weapons," there was a memo quietly circulating within the police division, which later landed on City Council's budget request desk, to purchase "patrol rifles."

Of course, on Ohio's North Coast, this proposal is not selling so well. At least one council member there has strong objections:

"Councilman Kevin Conwell, who chairs council's Public Safety Committee, said he will work to block the proposal if and when it's made. Many residents don't trust police and don't want them to have more powerful weapons, he said. 'Over my dead body, that's how bad I feel about that,' Conwell said. 'They need a better relationship with the community. There's a lack of trust.' (Police Chief McGrath) said the weapons would only be issued with proper training and not assigned to every officer."