LEOs exempt from AWB and high cap laws?

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So I was having a conversation with a LEO the other day and we got to talking about guns. It turns out this guy is a gun enthusiast, although apparently not fully versed in MGLs (he believed LTC-B holders are not allowed to own high cap shotguns and rifles, but that's a separate issue that he can work out on his own).

But anyway he claimed that cops, while not on duty, may own rifles with all 5 evil features of an assault rifle including rifles that are not issued by the department or meant for duty use. He said that his personal rifles all have the evil features of assault rifles and that he has many high-cap mags (post ban) that are for both department purposes and personal use. Are LEOs exempt from the AWB and high cap mag regulations even while off duty and using their personal firearms?

He also claimed that retired LEOs may legally own "assault" rifles and post ban high cap mags, since they are still legally considered LEOs. Is anything that this guy said true? I know they can be in possession of post-ban high cap mags and assault rifles while on duty or in the performance of their duties, but does this applies to personal guns and retired cops as well?
 
LE is not exempt unless items are issued to them upon retirement or something of that nature. Jdubois will be along to correct me shortly.
 
Nevermind the part about retired LEOs posessing high cap post-ban mags, after some digging in the MGLs I found that they ARE allowed to do that per MGL c.140 s.131M

"Section 131M. No person shall sell, offer for sale, transfer or possess an assault weapon or a large capacity feeding device that was not otherwise lawfully possessed on September 13, 1994. Whoever not being licensed under the provisions of section 122 violates the provisions of this section shall be punished, for a first offense, by a fine of not less than $1,000 nor more than $10,000 or by imprisonment for not less than one year nor more than ten years, or by both such fine and imprisonment, and for a second offense, by a fine of not less than $5,000 nor more than $15,000 or by imprisonment for not less than five years nor more than 15 years, or by both such fine and imprisonment.

The provisions of this section shall not apply to: (i) the possession by a law enforcement officer for purposes of law enforcement; or (ii) the possession by an individual who is retired from service with a law enforcement agency and is not otherwise prohibited from receiving such a weapon or feeding device from such agency upon retirement. "

This still doesn't say they may possess high cap post-ban mags or assault rifles for personal weapons while off duty (when clearly the possession is not for law enforcement but for personal entertainment) and not retired, so that debate is still open.
 
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As you found in the law EcHo, LEOs are only allowed to possess them "for purposes of law enforcement", but retired LEOs are allowed to possess them in general. This is, of course, very strangely worded, and the restriction on current LEOs needing to have a law enforcement purpose to possess is generally ignored.
 
As you found in the law EcHo, LEOs are only allowed to possess them "for purposes of law enforcement", but retired LEOs are allowed to possess them in general. This is, of course, very strangely worded, and the restriction on current LEOs needing to have a law enforcement purpose to possess is generally ignored.

Well, yes . . . except for Ron Glidden. He made a big issue of this restriction at the Seminar back in May. I think it raised a lot of "WTF?" from his audience (almost all LEOs) however.
 
Well, yes . . . except for Ron Glidden. He made a big issue of this restriction at the Seminar back in May. I think it raised a lot of "WTF?" from his audience (almost all LEOs) however.

Maybe he can get them to arrest themselves...[thinking]
 
BTW, I have to hand it to Ron. At least he isn't a hypocrite.

I got an Email and resultant phone call with him asking me where he could get the parts to build up a post-ban config AR. He specifically said that he wanted to have a compliant one so that whenever he decided to retire, there would be no issues about it. Kinda surprised me, but oh well.
 
I would say that if you are a LEO unless you use it to terminate someone's life in whatever reason there probably will not be an issue (internal investigation). It will be assumed (and I know the law) that the firearm is "ok" with the other LEO. Just my 2 cents.

Most agency's can just draft a letter on agency letter head that the firearm was for official purposes to include training.
 
As you found in the law EcHo, LEOs are only allowed to possess them "for purposes of law enforcement", but retired LEOs are allowed to possess them in general. This is, of course, very strangely worded, and the restriction on current LEOs needing to have a law enforcement purpose to possess is generally ignored.

just to bump this ancient thread in case anything has changed recently.

A retired LEO is exempt from the AWB and high cap ban?
 
just to bump this ancient thread in case anything has changed recently.

A retired LEO is exempt from the AWB and high cap ban?

It depends who you ask! Some say yes, and some say no. JD was spot on, it was and still is strangely worded.

ETA: The only change in wording last year was wrt active LEOs, where they deleted "for LE purposes" from the law. No other words were changed.
 
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