Conservative billionaire Robert Mercer spent time as a volunteer policeman in a small New Mexico town for the last six years.
Bloomberg reported Mercer, 71, worked as a volunteer reserve policeman in Lake Arthur, N.M., starting in December 2011. He is one of 84 volunteer reserve policemen who work in the tiny town, population 400, and often live hundreds or thousands of miles away.
It’s unknown why Mercer volunteers as a police officer in Lake Arthur, but working as a police officer allows him to carry a concealed weapon in his home of Suffolk County, N.Y. Receiving a concealed carry permit in Suffolk County is difficult and, under the Law Enforcement Officers Safety Act, police officers are allowed to concealed carry in any state with no local license.
William Norwood, Lake Arthur’s police chief, denied that Mercer and other members of his reserve police force are on the force in order to game the system and get a concealed carry permit.
“It’s a big help to me, I’ll tell you that,” he said to Bloomberg. “It’s better than going out to a domestic violence call way out in the county all by yourself.”
Mercer also sent money to Lake Arthur through his foundation. He left the department in September.
Mercer is the longtime financer of Breitbart News and was the financial backer of Steve Bannon for many years. He’s known as one of the most important money men in conservative politics.
