SWAT Team Assassins?: Illinois SWAT Gets OK on Silencers

February 11, 2012

Source: CBS

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (IRN) -Under a just passed law, Illinois SWAT units can now attach silencers to their weapons. The silencer is designed to give police special operations teams the advantage if they find themselves in a firefight .

The sponsor of the measure, state senator Dave Koehler says if police have to enter a room and fire their weapons the silencer allows them to concentrate on their target.

“Hearing loss of up to 15 seconds can make a big difference between whether hostages are killed or not.”

The law passed unanimously. Koehler says the strict guidelines apply only to special police units….for the average person owning a silencer is a class three felony and can get you two to five years in federal prison.