Sheriff Joe Arpaio Calls For Arizona Armed Citizens Posse

Draw your weapons. 

  That's what Sheriff Joe Arpaio is urging nearly a quarter-million Arizona gun owners to do to fight terrorism and mass shooters.
  On Tuesday, the so-called "Toughest Sheriff in America" said he cannot guarantee the public's safety and called on them to take matters into their own hands if necessary.

"I'm just talking about the areas where you have large crowds and someone pulls out the gun and starts shooting. Maybe somebody with a concealed weapon takes the guy down," Arpaio said.

  Specifically, Arpaio was looking to the 250,000 Arizonans who carry concealed weapons permits to help keep the peace.

But there are some in law enforcement who are calling this a bad idea. 

  Steve Henry, chief deputy of the Pinal County Sheriff's Office, said untrained gun owners could add to chaotic situations at big events, increasing the risk to innocent bystanders.

"Maybe somebody with a concealed weapon takes the guy down," - Arpaio

"Sometimes it's not proper to pull the trigger because the collateral damage is not worth it," Henry said. "We don't want to walk into a gun fight between anybody, much less a gun fight where people are untrained."

Arpaio's comments came in the wake of terrorist attacks in Paris, Beirut and Mali.  As such, the percentage of Americans who think a terrorist strike is somewhat or very likely to occur in the homeland in the next few months has skyrocketed.
According to a CBS poll, 69 percent of Americans believe an attack is imminent.

Read more: http://www.kpho.com/story/30644963/arpaio-calls-on-250k-armed-citizens-to-stop-terrorism-and-mass-shootings#ixzz3tJhwSTb7

CBS 5 - KPHO