Baltimore’s recent rioting elicited many reactions during personal conversations and public commentaries across news and social media forums. Here at Safe and Secure Training we noted (and shared) the video interview of one small business owner who lost everything yet vowed to rebuild. He also stated in a matter of fact tone that he would be purchasing a concealed carry gun after he was nearly killed during the ordeal. All told nearly 300 businesses, most of them minority and locally owned, may (or may not) recover from the looting, fire damage and destruction.
The events that unfolded in Baltimore present several critical observations. The first is that police proved unable to protect persons and property at the height of the crisis. The second is that despite the mayhem and cooling off period of several weeks now few participants have actually been charged with inciting or destroying their community. The third and most pronounced observation is simply a reinforcement of what gun owners of all ethnic backgrounds understand. This is that responsibly armed citizens play a significant societal role ensuring individual self-protections in time of trouble.
There has been a note shift in America sentiment with increased support for gun ownership due largely to personal protection concerns. Many question the personal security of their communities and wrestle with the responsibility of who this rest with. Nationally FBI crime statistics clearly point to the downward trending of violent and property related crime. This is very encouraging yet for many the perception remains that they don’t necessarily “feel” safer – and this may prove factual. So just how safe is it for New Haven area residents?
FindTheHome is an online real estate search firm has just released a report of the country’s most dangerous cities. New Haven ranked as the 17th most dangerous with an incident rate of 1,260 violent crime victims per 100,000 people. This only (slightly) trails much larger cities such as Newark, NJ (1,268), Washington, D.C. (1,274), and yes, Baltimore (1,404). To be fair the data is two years old and New Haven has experienced a decline in the number of murders committed. Yet, violent crime remains a challenge for a city which has wonderfully fun, family friendly events and cultural activities – and some great dining spots! Much work remains however in ensuring a citywide safe and secure setting for residents and visitors alike.
Here at Safe and Secure Training we’ve now had nearly 150 Fairfield and New Haven county residents complete personal protection and firearm safety programs with us in recent months. Many are New Haven and West Haven pistol permit applicants who’ve also gained insights about home defense, concealed carry and safe gun storage in a home environment.
We salute those who’ve considered ways to protect themselves and their families (before) times of trouble – whether this involves the use of a gun or not. For those still early in the consideration stage feel free to email us at info@safeandsecuretraining.com to learn more about what responsible gun ownership is all about!