Page 46 - FOP JUNE Newsletter

Super Quick Clean guns provided cleaning of all rearms for members.
A call for arms
Members find help to keep weapons in top shape at Lodge 7 Firearm Safety Days
n DAN CAMPANA
n PHOTOS BY JAMES PINTO
When it comes to cars, some meticulous owners change the oil, filters and tires at the prescribed mileage to keep things running in tip-top shape.
Of course, there are others who push things a little further, disregarding preventative maintenance for a variety of reasons.
Those two approaches also seem to exist when it comes to police officers and their firearms, making the analogy between cars and guns a popular one during the Lodge 7 Firearm Safety Days held at the FOP Hall May 24 to 25.
“Coppers may like to shoot for fun, but they hate to clean for duty,” First Vice-President Ray Casiano said. “Not only is (safety day) an opportunity to maintain the equipment ... you can learn something today.”
Safety days have been around for several years, but turnout has improved more recently, according to Ca- siano and Second Vice President Frank DiMaria, with hundreds of current and former officers stopping in for a firearm checkup.
“They get knowledge, they get maintenance and they get a thorough cleaning,” DiMaria said, noting one failed gun had been identified early on during the event’s first day. “It’s here you want to find the malfunctions.”
Lending a hand were several gun manufacturers, fire- arm service companies and other equipment suppli- ers who set up at the event to help out officers. Experts from local firearms manufacturer and dealer DS Arms in Lake Barrington and Kiesler Police Supply of Jeffer- sonville, Indiana with dedicated sales reps in Chicago, were among the more prominent and popular with the CPD officers attending.
“These guys donate their time. We appreciate that,”
46 CHICAGO LODGE 7 ■ JUNE 2016