Wally worlds latest policy against guns

[galt11]

Wal-Mart toughens gun policies

By DEVLIN BARRETT, Associated Press WriterMon Apr 14, 6:29 PM ET

Wal-Mart, the nation's largest seller of firearms, announced Monday it will toughen rules for gun sales, from storing video of purchases to creating an internal log of which guns they sell that are later used in crimes.

J.P. Suarez, the chief compliance officer for Wal-Mart Stores Inc., appeared with outspoken gun control advocate Mayor Michael Bloomberg of New York to announce the changes at a gathering of Bloomberg's group Mayors Against Illegal Guns.

Changes to come at about 1,100 Wal-Mart stores selling guns include:

_Creating a record and alert system to record when a gun sold at Wal-Mart is later used in a crime. If the purchaser of that gun later tries to buy another gun at Wal-Mart, the system would alert the sales clerk of the prior buy and could refuse to make the sale.

_Retaining the recorded images of gun sales in case law enforcement wants to view them later as part of an investigation.

_Expanding background checks of employees who handle guns and expanding inventory controls.

Suarez said the tougher standards will come with some additional cost to the company.

"The costs are, we think, part of what it takes to be responsible. Everything is not pain-free," he said, adding that small sellers can implement many of the same rules. He did not say how long it would take to implement all the changes, but noted that software must still be created for an internal log of guns later used in crimes.

Suarez said his company may receive some pressure from gun rights groups, but added, "This is not a signal that we're getting out of firearms."

The National Rifle Association denounced the company's move.

"I view it as a public relations stunt that stigmatizes law-abiding firearms purchasers exercising their freedom under the Constitution," said NRA CEO Wayne LaPierre. He said that if politicians were serious about reducing gun crime they would worry less about legal sellers and buyers and get tougher criminal sentences for illegal gun dealers.

"I honestly think it's a corporation trying to curry favor with politicians as opposed to doing anything meaningful about stopping crime," said LaPierre.

Wal-Mart sells only rifles and shotguns in its U.S. stores, with the exception of Alaska sites, which also sell handguns.

Bloomberg urged other companies to join Wal-Mart in the initiative called the Responsible Firearms Retailer Partnership.

"We didn't pressure them, they're doing it because they think it's the responsible thing to do," he said.

Wal-Mart, the world's largest retailer, had previously tried to establish a store in New York City but failed.

The mayors' gun summit also unveiled a new lobbying effort to close what they call the "gun show loophole," which allows sales of firearms without background checks between private individuals at gun shows.

Bloomberg founded the group two years ago with Boston mayor Thomas Menino to reduce the flow of guns from store displays into the hands of criminals.

The group, largely funded by Bloomberg's personal fortune, announced it was spending more than $100,000 on television ads, starting Wednesday, featuring all three of the current main presidential candidates voicing their opposition to the gun show loophole.

The ads will run in the home states of the three candidates — John McCain of Arizona, Hillary Rodham Clinton of New York and Barack Obama of Illinois. It also will air across Pennsylvania, which holds its primary next week, as well as Florida, Maryland and Massachusetts.

The mayors group is trying to gather support in Congress to:

_End the gun show loophole.

_Require gun dealers to perform criminal background checks on all gun-handling employees.

_Close a so-called fire-sale loophole that allows gun dealers whose licenses have been revoked by the government to sell off their inventory without background checks.

_Add those placed on the terrorist no-fly list to the list of people prohibited from purchasing a firearm.

___

On the Net:

Mayors Against Illegal Guns: http://www.mayorsagainstillegalguns.org

[ChrisStock]

Yep, Sam would roll over in his grave. Here in FL, I noticed firearms disappearing from nearly every WM. I inquired, and was told that only 1 WM per county will be permitted to sell firearms, all the other stores have had their firearms sales terminated. Brilliant marketing idea, that one. I guess that's just another reason why less and less of my business goes there.

[JFlowers]

I just don't see how such a policy could stand any type of legal scrutiny. The video taping and all is annoying, but okay you have the right to do such in your own store. But the first time someone is refused a sale based on some internal policy with no real legal basis I can see the lawsuits flying. Plus, how will Wally World get the data to build a database of guns purchased at Walmart and used in a crime? I can just see the reaction of some poor clerk at the ATF when every month WalMart sends a list of every gun ever purchased in any of there stores to be compared to crime data!!!!!

[AikiDale]

I've often suspected those who read Orwell's 1984, liked it and wanted to be Big Brother when they grew up, went into politics.

[Hank Ellis]

_Creating a record and alert system to record when a gun sold at Wal-Mart is later used in a crime. If the purchaser of that gun later tries to buy another gun at Wal-Mart, the system would alert the sales clerk of the prior buy and could refuse to make the sale.

_Retaining the recorded images of gun sales in case law enforcement wants to view them later as part of an investigation.

Heard about this last night on the local evening news. This is a thinly disguised gun registration program. Plain and simple.

I will not be made the bad guy for simply making a lawful firearm purchase. Geez. Every transfer is blessed by the FBI and if that isn't good enough, what is?

Here's a scenario. I buy a new Belchfire Tactical-40. Not the gun I thought it would be so I put it up on GunBroker. Winning bidder is out of state so I ship it to the FFL there and a lawful and successful transfer is done. So far so good. But what happens now if the gun is stolen and is used in a crime? What happens now when the gun is transferred again either FTF or through an FFL and THAT person uses it in a crime? By Wal-Marts system that gun will be traced back to me and I'll be forbidden to purchase an arm even though I had nothing to do with the crime. I am not responsible for someone elses actions.

And the recorded images. What controls are in place? How are the images distributed? This just throws open the door of abuse.

Wal-Mart can pound dirt for all I care. I'll support the Mom and Pop shops like I always have.

[larry cazes]

Some of this is definitely out of line. Their gun and ammo purchasing policies have been out of line for a long time, though. Why keep spending your money there? I stopped years ago.

Edited April 15, 2008 by larry cazes

[Carlos]

Since Bloomberg is behind this, I can think of only 2 reasons why he did this to Walmart now:

1) He saw an opportunity for an easy victory by selecting Walmart since they are under heavy attack from forces trying to unionize them and it makes sense that Walmart would do ANYHTING for what they percieve as postitive press right now.

-and Bloomberg will seek to expand these sorts of "agreements" to other retailers, then demonize the retailers who do not bow down to such blackmail. or,

2) Bloomberg has shown that he really hates all types of guns and will attack gun ownership/sales in any way possible. As proof of this possibility, I am fairly sure that Walmart does not sell handguns. Moreover, I don't think they sell anything that could be called a "assault weapon." The guns Walmart does sell are about the last ones that will actually be used to wound or kill during a crime (though they are still confiscated from folks with restraining orders, from drunks, convicted criminals, etc - so they do end up in evidence rooms). Thus, Bloomberg's "victory" will have no effect at all on reducing crime (which is why I think his motive is described by #1 above).

[SA Friday]

Boy, do I want to see how an LE org is going to get around the legality of releasing information to a commercial entity without getting their asses sued. Court records are public domain, LE investigations are not. There are ways to get the info, but for the most part, LE orgs do not like to release pieces of specific info. Generalities are the key to not getting your org in a meat grinder. Getting in league with a commercial company and releasing LE info to them? Bet the mayor didn't check that one out first and PD lawyers are having kittens right about now.

It just sounds like a litigation mine field... Doug (Carlos) I would love to hear your take on that if you have any.

[mdstihl]

They're doing us all favor anyway. Their guns and ammo tends to be seconds, IMO. I know that gun shops can be run by wannabe commandos or know-it-alls, but I try hard to buy my ammo locally, and any firearms too. Of course, I don't shoot the 10K's of rounds most of you guys do.

[John Dunn]

The owners of my local gun store are very nice, greet me by name, offer me a cup of coffee, offer my kids suckers, ask how matches went, etc.

They actually shoot and hunt know a great deal about firearms.

Why go to a big box store where the clerks are bothered by my presence, know virtually nothing, and consider 2 boxes of ammo stockpiling?

Wal-Mart is good for a lot of things, but I won't be buying any guns there. Sorry Jack.

[ajg308]

To quote my local forum, "like I need another reason to not go there."

[JFlowers]

Unfortunately, its getting harder and harder to avoid WallyWorld. Most of the other grocery stores have gone away, as well as the mid-tier department stores. Their sporting goods section sucks, though. If you don't want a synthetic stocked, low-end bolt action or a pump shotgun they have next to nothing to choose from. Only good they ever do is when they put cases of shotgun shells on sale.

[Derek45]

I've often suspected those who read Orwell's 1984, liked it and wanted to be Big Brother when they grew up, went into politics.

+1

"Winston, how many fingers an I holding up"

[EricW]

Is this the beginning of an official boycott?

[ChrisStock]

And your official MSNBC link

[Derek45]

Is this the beginning of an official boycott?

HELL YES !

. . . . . .Oh wait, . . . . I need socks first.....and a new TV.

[AikiDale]

Is this the beginning of an official boycott?

HELL YES !

. . . . . .Oh wait, . . . . I need socks first.....and a new TV.

And WWB Value Packs?

[JimmyZip]

Like was said before, "like I need another reason not to go there. Walmart has been losing ground with me for years. I have found that many of the things they sell for cheap are cheap for a reason. The local Stater Brothers has moderately priced food that is better and stays fresh longer. I reload and don't buy ammo there anymore. I buy many of the things that I used to buy at Wal Mart at Costco.

But it wasn't like I really made an effort to stop going to Wal Mart, just that I found many other places better. But now, I have a principled reason to avoid Wally World.....cool

[Ross Carter]

I have a friend who works for WM, not in sales. He always gets a delay when a NICS check is run on him, he had a top secret clearance when serving in the Military and that evidently causes the delay as stupid as that is.

Even dumber is that this and other WM's he's tried refuse to sell a firearm to anyone that gets a delay from NICS. I don't know if it's a nationwide policy but these WM's won't sell this former soldier who served his country honorably a firearm!!! I could hardly believe it when he first told me about it, especially an employee with his background but that is the policy, get a delay and they won't sell.

I don't want to give too much info on him or what city he works in because he likes his job even though some of their policies suck. I will say that I know without a doubt NICS will delay him but not deny. He could try to go thru the process and get it cleared up with NICS but that's beside the point. The ATF regulations state if you're not denied you get to make the purchase.

It would be interesting to know how many or if all WM's have this policy.