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Connecticut Door to Door Confiscation

By now you’ve probably heard the claims that confiscation has begun or is about to begin in Connecticut, so today, let’s discuss the situation in a brief timeline of events, and examine what we do and do not know at this point.

Post-Sandy Hook Gun Control Legislation

In April of 2013, CT lawmakers announced a deal on a gun control package that included, among other things, limiting magazine capacity to 10 rounds and registration of weapons and magazines that hold more than 10 rounds.

Registration

After the above legislation passed, magazines holding more than 10 rounds were considered “Large Capacity Magazines” and were prohibited in the state. Magazines that hold more than 10 rounds along with banned firearms possessed prior to April 4, 2013 were grandfathered, provided they were registered with Department of Emergency Services and Public Protection (DESPP) by January 1, 2014.

This January 1 registration deadline begged the question, what would happen if residents of the state did not comply? Registration doesn’t lead to confiscation, right? We may soon find out.

Confiscation Fears – The Letter

The fear of door to door confiscation started with a letter circulating the web obtained by the Capitalism Institute that allegedly details the options that residents who failed to complete registration prior to January 1 have to comply with Connecticut state law. This letter is still, as of the time of writing, unconfirmed.

The Blaze reports that they spoke with a spokesperson with the Special Licensing and Firearms Unit of the Connecticut Department of Emergency Services and Public Protection, and that while such a letter has been drafted, not one has been sent out so far. Is the letter real? Sounds like time will tell.

Update 3/4/2014: The Capitalism Institute is reporting that they have confirmed with the Connecticut Department of Emergency Services and Public Protection that the letter is in fact real.

Confiscation Fears – The Video

Yesterday, a video was uploaded to YouTube by Guerrilla Media Network (GMN) that allegedly is a recording of a producer for GMN “Guerilla Girl Ashley” calling the Connecticut State Police to “inquire about the recent letter sent to residents regarding gun confiscation in Connecticut.” Presumably, she is referring to the letter above.

She ends up speaking with Lt. J. Paul Vance, who is a Public Information Officer for the Department of Emergency Services and Public Protection and the Connecticut State Police. Assuming this video is NOT a hoax (I don’t know anything about GMN), two things immediately stand out to me.

  1. Ashley references a letter that her husband received in the mail, a letter that sounds very much like the letter above.
  2. Lt. Vance does nothing to calm the fears that door to door confiscation is a very real possibility, and even says inflammatory things like “I don’t want to talk about the Constitution m’am” and “I’m the master.” At the very least (and again, if this video is true) this man needs to lose his job, because he clearly isn’t a very good spokesperson for the state.

You can watch the video below.

Conclusion

At this point, there isn’t much we know for sure except that door to door confiscation has not started in Connecticut. At least not yet.

What we don’t yet know:

  • Does the state intend to prosecute gun owners who do not comply with the newly enacted gun laws?
  • Will the state attempt to identify gun owners who did not try to register in the first place (by all accounts there are likely tens of thousands of people in this category)?

This is certainly a situation that we should all be paying close attention to.

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21 Responses to Connecticut Door to Door Confiscation

  1. TK February 28, 2014 at 12:08 pm #

    Thank you for writing this – most of the stuff I’ve seen so far is tin foil hat conjecture at best. Is it possible that they will attempt door to door confiscation? Yes. Is it likely? No.

  2. Albee February 28, 2014 at 12:29 pm #

    My biggest question is how does the state know who’s door to knock on?? If they know the gun owners then problem solved. Registering is just creating more paper work and driving up the cost of business. A firm grip on reality is needed by the state. As much as everyone talks tough, who will really say know if they come knocking?

  3. Botox February 28, 2014 at 12:32 pm #

    I think he handled it well, she was picking a fight with him and trying to get under his skin. (Which she did) She should have that conversation with a lawyer. She annoys the hell outa me. Not the right approach at all.

  4. fish February 28, 2014 at 12:37 pm #

    That is an absolutely ludicrous audio file. Ashley was baiting Lt. Vance and completely wasting his time…and now mine, since I listened to that nonsense in its entirety. The only information I gleaned from the video is that it does not sound like the CT State Police are confiscating weapons, or at least this officer is not aware of any plans to do so. As far as the letter is concerned, if the weapons were not registered, how does the state know who has them and who does not?

    • Brandon February 28, 2014 at 12:48 pm #

      I agree that she was baiting him, but he should have handled it better. Saying things like “I’m the master” is just plain dumb.

      On the part of how do they know, good question. If the letter is to be believed, it was sent to people who tried to register but didn’t successfully complete by the deadline (~2,100 people reported by The Courant).

      Beyond those folks, I don’t know how they would know.

      • Mike February 28, 2014 at 12:59 pm #

        You’re right, Vance did nothing to help the situation. He also didn’t deny that door to door was a possibility…we shall see. I, too, doubt it will go hot.

  5. liljohn February 28, 2014 at 12:52 pm #

    CT has had a record of sale for all guns that sell from an ffl for a few years now. All that it takes is someone to enter all those ROS’s in a database and you now know where to knock. PA has a similar ROS for pistols. It sucks but registration has been happening on a state level for years.

  6. dgdimick February 28, 2014 at 12:55 pm #

    Sounds like one more Deck Ape, this one is drone level. “I’m the police, if you question me, then you’re a bad American”. “I’m not smart enough to determine on my own if a law violates the constitution, some one has to tell me”.

    I wonder how long before we hear about the first Connecticut cop(s) shot and killed while trying to enforce this law.

  7. Jc17 February 28, 2014 at 1:38 pm #

    Only a matter of time before that comes to NY. It will come down to it and there are some officers that will try to enforce it at first. This will lead to a divide amongst the boys in blue and eventually get quashed. But if more people speak up like she did and ask questions people are going to start having to answer and there are many questions when it comes to these back door, overnight laws that violate more and more of our rights. 1776 all over again it seems. Time to speak up and let the dirty politician know that their reaching the end of their run because we’re on to them. Can in their ear and let them know that you don’t want this “law”. Because in very essence violates one of the LAWS this country was built on. These laws only affect the law abiding, able to own before why not now, trained in proper firearm safety citizen. The criminals haven’t been stopped by laws yet. What’s a gun law? All it will lead to is complete takeover of society and no way to defend yourself.

  8. Brenda February 28, 2014 at 1:42 pm #

    As always, excellent analysis! Thank you!

    • Brandon February 28, 2014 at 2:06 pm #

      Thanks Brenda.

  9. john February 28, 2014 at 1:48 pm #

    Good afternoon. I live in this state. I also work for a police dept. The govener has gone on record stating he is going to give gun owners one more chance to comply with the new law or door to door will occur. All legally owned fire arms purchaced from 1984 to present are done so with a state authorized number and paperwork done in triplicate. Long guns if sold privately up to April 4 2012 didn’t have to be. Nonetheless most were so the state already has a list of all assault style rifles that were purchased. The registration of these long guns is redundant in my opinion because the state already knows who has what. Did I comply. That’s nobody’s business and it shouldn’t be. If a list is made public it will put myself and my family in danger of home break in from criminals seeking out weapons for money or otherwise. Other rumors have also been passing around that the state is going to levey an annual tax such as a moter vehicle tax on such rifles and magazines that hold more than 10 rounds. That has also been yet to be seen. To follow this situation check out this web site http://www.CCDL.us its Connecticut citizens defence league. Its head by a group of lawyers and gun owners fighting the newly enacted laws. By the way these new laws get added to monthly and reworded on a weekly basis so anything is anyone’s guess as to what the law actually is.

    So in ending take everything with a grain of salt an we’re all in a holding pattern for the truth if it ever surfaces.

    So if everyone can just keep supporting us with keeping it out there that yes it is happening and w need all the help we can get!

    Thank you
    John Carter
    Ct resident and legal and safe owner of fire arms

    • Brandon February 28, 2014 at 2:06 pm #

      Thanks for the information John.

  10. michael February 28, 2014 at 6:29 pm #

    I will confirm that the voice is in fact that of Lt Vance. Ct does indeed have a defacto registration of all guns sold for at least the last 20 years or so. This is for all hanguns from around 1995 both thru ffl’s and private sales. Rifles just thru ffl’s.

  11. Joseph kay February 28, 2014 at 7:46 pm #

    the down fall of America is well under way

  12. Reginald February 28, 2014 at 8:01 pm #

    It’s history repeating itself. Hitler, Mao, and Stalin registered the guns before they confiscated them. I am afraid there will bloodshed. Hope I’m wrong.

  13. bigblkdog February 28, 2014 at 8:42 pm #

    I am very pro 2A. I own several handguns, and possess a CHL. I believe the CT law is wrong, and likely unconstitutional. HOWEVER, if you listen to the Lt.’s entire phone conversation, IMHO he handles it in a very professional, non-confrontational manner. Let’s be fair.

    • Brandon February 28, 2014 at 8:50 pm #

      I disagree – I think he said some really dumb things like “I’m the master.” Someone in his position needs to be able to handle people that get a little belligerent, especially on the phone. Makes me wonder if he was just speaking out of anger, or if they were Freudian slips.

  14. Greg Toal March 1, 2014 at 12:11 am #

    As a Ct resident I have heard nothing about ANY of this. NOTHING of Door to Door ANYTHING, NOTHING about CONFISCATION. I am ashamed and disgusted by the knee-jerk reaction to tragedy. The IDIOTS in Hartford pandered to the media & the Gun-Grabbing Left while ignoring the continuous deluge of common-sense ideas for a balanced approach to the MENTAL HEALTH PROBLEM at the root of this tragedy. I’ve been looking to leave since the”Constitution State” started to ignore the Constitution !

  15. john Doesky March 1, 2014 at 7:36 am #

    The Bloomberg funded gun grabbers and the leftist papers are going to goad the politicians and police to try some confiscations to force a confrontation. The gun grabbers WANT some police to die to elevate the issue and provoke another attempt at national gun control. It’s so blatantly obvious that any hack screen writer can write the story in an hour.

  16. bee March 1, 2014 at 9:37 am #

    these scumbag coward politicians who passed these unconstitutional law should be the first ones in line to try and confiscate our guns. the better bring lots of body bags for themselves.
    we the people have had enough of these corrupt crooked dirtbags and will fight for our rights and freedoms. LOCK AND LOAD PEOPLE, ITS TIME.