New Jersey police officers are no longer allowed to carry ammunition magazines that hold more than 10 rounds when off duty. Signed into law in June by Gov. Phil Murphy, the restrictions—for all gun owners in the state—took effect last week. A federal court ruled the law constitutional in October, but gun rights groups are appealing the decision.
Among the gun measures passed in June are limits on magazine capacity, an armor-piercing bullet ban, a tougher handgun carry permit process, and expanded background checks.
Former New York City Police Commissioner Bernard Kerik blasted the new law on Twitter on Dec. 14.
“NJ Governor @GovMurphy is endangering the life of every off duty NJ cop!” Kerik wrote. Gang bangers, drug thugs and really bad guys don’t give a damn about magazine capacity … So he takes the good guy’s ammunition, and the bad guys are loaded for bear!”
Kerik then posted a memo from acting Bergen County, N.J., Prosecutor Dennis Calo released Dec. 13 outlining the ban.
“The statute now provides that law enforcement officers are not permitted to possess large capacity ammunition magazines, i.e., magazines capable of holding more than ten (10) rounds of ammunition to be fed continuously into semi-automatic firearms, unless while on duty or traveling to or from an authorized place of duty,” the memo stated. “This statute applies to all law enforcement officers, including those subject to on-call status. Violation of this statute constitutes a fourth degree crime.”
While first and second-degree crimes in New Jersey “face a presumptive term of incarceration,” according njcourts.gov, “ … fourth degree crimes carry a potential penalty of up to 18 months in jail.”
© 2018 Homeland411
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