Police Warn Parents About Fake-Gun Dangers
By: Import User
Updated: January 7, 2009
Police are warning parents against toy guns that bear a strong likeness to the real thing.
Little Rock Police Chief Lawrence Johnson says officers have a hard time telling the difference between fake and real firearms.
"They create a safety hazard for our officers who encounter people with these," says Johnson.
The department says if anyone were to point a toy gun at a police officer, he or she would err on the side of caution.
"We have no choice but to assume that it`s real unless there`s something that stands out and tells us it`s not real," says LRPD Sergeant Terry Hastings.
Federal law mandates toy manufacturers tell mark their guns with characteristics distiguishing them from the genuine article.
But the LRPD says toy makers aren`t doing that. Chief Johnson says parents shouldn`t buy toy guns like those for their children.
The department is also giving away 500 gun safety kids as part of a gun safety campaign.
