New mayoral ad demands action on background checks

PHOENIX — Mayors Against Illegal Guns are ramping up the call for universal background checks on gun sales with a new ad featuring law enforcement officers from across the country, including two from Arizona.

Arizona Department of Public Safety Capt. Victor McCraw and Tucson Police Department Capt. Perry Terrant, who is also the Chapter President of Arizona National Organization of Black Law Enforcement Executives (NOBLE) both appear in the video.

Levi Bolton, head of the Arizona Police Association, said he’s a strong supporter of Second Amendment rights, which he calls a cherished right of every American. He doesn’t necessarily oppose universal background checks but that’s only part of the solution.

“We would never stand in opposition to universal background checks but looking at a single component will not get us to where we need to be.”

Bolton it’s time for serious discussion between cops, courts and healthcare providers among others on how to keep the mentally ill from getting handguns.

“When [police officers] are out there engaging someone with a firearm, it’s unlikely that you’re going to know what their intent is. Sometimes these things are pre-planned. In some of the recent tragedies, these people came to die. With that mindset, I’m not exactly sure what ounce of prevention we could have put in place to stop that.”