Baltimore County Police Chief Jim Johnson: Thursday January 31, 12-1 p.m.

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Midday_013113_Hr_1_GunControlPartII.mp3

Part II of a conversation about gun violence with Baltimore County Chief of Police Jim Johnson, one of the state law enforcement officials flanking Governor Martin O’Malley when he announced aggressive proposals for firearms reforms following the Newtown massacre. Johnson is chairman of the National Law Enforcement Partnership to Prevent Gun Violence.

INTERVIEW EXCERPTS:

*On former Arizona Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords speaking before members of Congress: "When you hear that woman's voice and the message that she delivered, I think it resonates and she speaks for all victims of gun violence in America today."

*On his own experience with guns: "I want to make it clear to your listeners, I'm a hunter from time to time. I own guns. I really enjoy going to the range with my son and friends and Maryland State Park ranges from time to time, and strongly believe in the Second Amendment. But I do believe that there are reasonable limits that can be placed on it."

*On danger of assault weapons: "We know that these guns are used across America--Aurora, Newtown, Webster, NY--and used in crimes of violence, and frankly everyday, police departments across America are seizing these weapons, and dozens of police officers have been killed where that weapon was used in violent confrontations across the United States."

*On NRA CEO and Executive Vice President Wayne LaPierre's claim universal background checks would become a "bureaucratic nightmare":"I respectfully disagree with Mr. LaPierre on that issue. Currently we know that over 92% of background checks that are conducted, the information comes back within a minute in a half. Dan, I can't write a traffic ticket that quickly."

*On tracking guns in the United States: "Let's say a gun is found at a crime scene. It was dropped accidentally or intentionally, and detectives begin the process of trying to figure out who had that gun. What they'll do, they'll contact federal authorities like the ATF; the ATF begins the process, and they actually have to go through paper records. Hopefully they can find a dealer that the manufacturer sent the gun to, and then detectives go to the dealer, and hopefully the dealer is still there--many are not, they're going out of business. Dealers that are in business have been very cooperative, but they can only tell you the first seller, not the second and not the third or the fifth."