By Police1 Staff
HOUSTON — Houston’s police chief slammed elected state and federal officials for inaction in wake of recent mass shootings.
On Friday, Houston Police Chief Art Acevedo took to Facebook criticizing elected officials and said he had “hit rock bottom” and “shed tears of sadness, pain and anger” after the mass shooting at Santa Fe High School that killed 10. The post has since gone viral.
“I know some have strong feelings about gun rights but I want you to know I’ve hit rock bottom and I am not interested in your views as it pertains to this issue,” Acevedo said. “This isn’t a time for prayers, and study and inaction, it’s a time for prayers, action and the asking of God’s forgiveness for our inaction (especially the elected officials that ran to the cameras today, acted in a solemn manner, called for prayers and will once again do absolutely nothing.”
https://www.facebook.com/ChiefArtAcevedo/posts/1676298439150998
Acevedo told CBS News Sunday that political leaders are not listening to voters when it comes to gun regulations and reforms.
“Let me tell you, people at the state level and the federal level in too many places in our country are not doing anything other than offering prayers,” Acevedo said. “We need to start using the ballot box and ballot initiatives to take the matters out of the hands of people that are doing nothing that are elected into the hands of the people to see that the will of the people in this country is actually carried out.”
The chief added that one policy lawmakers should consider would be a stronger law that mandates proper security of firearms in private homes. Gov. Greg Abbott said the suspect in Friday’s shooting used a shotgun and a .38-caliber revolver that belonged to his father.
“If you have firearms in your home and you do not secure them and you don’t secure them in a manner that can preclude someone from grabbing them and taking them and carrying out this carnage, [there] is a criminal liability that attaches,” Acevedo suggested.
https://twitter.com/CommissBratton/status/998367887181205504
The chief also said local governments are beginning to make a difference by enacting their own reforms.
“I think that the American people, gun owners -- the vast majority of which are pragmatic and actually support gun sense and gun reform in terms of keeping guns in the right hands,” Acevedo said.
This isn’t the first time Acevedo has spoken out on this issue. Following the mass shooting in Las Vegas, Acevedo also took to social media and said inaction on gun control has “failed thousands of families.”
“When will we stand up and say enough?” Acevedo said in October.