Interview Questions 36514r

Toll us briefly about Yourself. What is your job history? What is your educational background?

I currently work as an IT System for UNC Charlotte from 2003-2008.

I attended Virginia Tech

While I was a student I was a member of the Virginia Tech Rescue

Squad, the oldest all student run advanced life EMS agency. I volunteered to seive as the SWAT Medic for the Virginia Tech Police Department Emergency Response Team (SWAT) in 2006. I was the first tactical medic on scene of the April 16th, 2007

shooting. Following graduation, I was hired by VTPD as a police officer assigned to the patrol division. I was trained as a SWAT operator shortly after completing field training.

During my time as a police officer, I was certified as a general instructor and firearms instructor. I provided Initial firearms training to over 500 police recruits in the regional police academy. I also served as faculty for the OHS Counter Narcotics and Terrorism Operational Medical EMT-Tactical course. After 6 years as a police officer, I accepted a transfer and assumed the role of IT Director for the police department.

When was the first time you fired a gun, what do you about it most? The first time I fired a gun that I can was during boy scout camp. I honestly can

not how old / was but I do it was a .22 rifle shooting paper targets. I can it being harder than I expected to hit the targets.

When did you first purchase a gun, why?

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The first gun / purchased was a shotgun during my junior year of college. A number of

my friends would shoot skeet at the local forest service range. I got tired of borrowing on of their guns.

How many guns do you own now?

own three handguns, a shotgun, and a rifle.

If you could only own one type of gun what would it be, why?

Why do you feel someone should own a gun? There are multiple reasons to own a gun; protection, sport, hunting.

Who do you feel shouldn't be allowed to own a gun? Why? Firearms are inherently dangerous. If someone doesn't have the skill or ability to safely

handle, store, and use a firearm, they should not own a gun. I agree that people convicted of felonies should not be allowed to own or possess a gun. Furthermore, I

the restriction of possessing a firearm while a restraining order is active. Most importantly, individuals with acute mental health crisis should not or possess or own guns.

Do you think the current gun laws are sufficient?

There are 52 sets of gun laws across the US (50 States, DC, and Federal). These 52 sets of laws often differ significantly in what is legal and what is illegal. In general, I feel the

laws in an "average" state are mostly adequate. As an anecdotal observation, I feel that

the implementation of the laws and programs are not effective.

If you had the power what would you change any of the existing laws what would you change? I don't think there needs to be much done in of gun laws. I think the major issue surrounds mental health issues. More than half of all gun related deaths are suicides.

More attention, funding, legislation, and de-stigmatizing of mental health issues can significantly lower gun dealths.

Do you feel safe in your home, does owning a gun influence how you feel?

I feel safe in my home, but not because I own a gun. My guns are locked up securely and are not always immediately available. A gun is a tool; It's not a magic wand that makes people safer.

How often do you believe what is reported on the news about gun violence? Gun violence is, and has always been present in our society. I believe that the transition from traditional new reporting in the late 90's to the 24/7 cable news and twitterized news, the populus is more polarized and more susceptible to confirmation bias. There is very little discussion grounded in statistics and fact.

How do you think guns get into the hands of people who use them to commit crimes?

Guns used in crimes are typically obtained in one of two ways, they are purchased legally

when the owner is not disqualified for any legal reason, or they are purchased illegally.

This can be a straw purchase of an otherwise legally obtained firearm, or they can be weapons that are stolen.

Do you think Is there a relationship between levels of gun ownership and levels of crime?

There appears to be an inverse correlation between the levels of gun ownership and crime rates. Assuming causation when solely observing correlation is a basic logical

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fallacy. Without additional evidence it would be just as wrong to posit that since Ice cream sales rise with violent crime, the sale of ice cream causes violent crime. Correlation does not Imply causation.

Do you think the government is trying to take away our firearms? do not believe that the government Is trying to "take away our firearms." The democratic standard bearers have had increased gun control as a legislative aim of theirs. In the past 20 years, some gun laws have loosened. weapons ban expired and was not renewed in 2004.

The 1994 Federal assault

That same year the Law

Enforcement Officers Safety Act granted reciprocal carry rights for off duty officers in all 50 states.

Statements that the government Is taking away our guns are hyperbolic.

Do you think some groups of people take their beliefs too far concerning gun ownership? I think the increasingly polarized political environment is making both sides of this argument feel they are under attack. Both sides continue to make straw man arguments.

Cooperation and understanding of the other side's fears, concerns, and proposals are just not occurring.

What is the benefit of open carry? / lived in an open carry state (Virginia) for ten years and the only time that I ever open

carried was while I was working as a police officer. While off duty I rarely, if ever, open carried. As part of our department policy, if I were to open carry, I was required to wear my badge clearly visible.

Do you feel everyone should own a gun, explain why you feel this way.

I do not feel that everyone should own a gun. It is a clearly personal choice that I do not think should be pushed on anyone. Guns are dangerous, guns require frequent training,

guns require diligence in use of appropriate safety systems. Just like not everyone should be required to have a driver's license and own a car, not everyone should own a gun.

What social Media sites do you use? Are you influenced by what you see on social media sites?

I use the major social media sites, Facebook, lnstagram, Twitter, Snapchat, etc. I do not utilize social media to get all of my news. While I frequently seek out legitimate

journalistic sources that have a viewpoint different from my own, I can no longer do that with social media. The level of hyperbole, close mindedness, and sheer lack of facts and

research that dominate the social media based discussions make it nearly impossible for me to use social media as a legitimate news source.

Tell me about a time when you think social media was leveraged to influence the public opinion of an event involving gun violence.

Following the shooting at Virginia Tech, the national and world wide media descended on

Blacksburg, VA. During the hours, days, and months that followed, the national media focused on an attempt to get the next big scoop.

There was a dishonest judgement of

what went wrong by TV news reporters who had no knowledge of what transpired and what the historical factors were. Each special interest pushed their agenda, framing the discussion to meet their political and policy aspirations.

long for the day when arguments were backed with facts and not steamrolled by emotion.

US policy is a living and breathing thing. Our laws do not stay stagnant.

There

is always room for improvement. I want to be able to have rational, calm, discussions about what policy changes would address the very real issues we face in this country.

do not like being used as a pawn, made to fear an overhyped boogey man.

Violent crime

is largely trending down while suicide is growing. It's sad that the political discourse in the country focuses on gun as reaction to the perceived explosion in violent crime.

Frame the debate with facts, disregard your sacred cows, be rational, be informed.