Posted on 01/10/2004 10:05:37 AM PST by spald
Saturday, January 10, 2004
'Concealed carry' bewilders enforcers
By Dan Klepal
The Cincinnati Enquirer
Law enforcement officials had more questions than answers Friday about Ohio's new law permitting people to carry concealed weapons.
The law takes effect April 7 and requires the state's 88 sheriffs to process applications for permits to carry handguns within 45 days.
CONCEALED CARRY RULES
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• Ohio residents would have to do the following to get licenses to carry concealed handguns: |
Clermont County Sheriff A.J. "Tim" Rodenberg Jr. spent most of Friday studying the new law. He said there is a lot to worry about.
"There are a lot of little twists and turns in there that can really trip people up," Rodenberg said. "And not just citizens - governmental agencies, too. The first few months are going to be real interesting. We're going to have our hands full, and we're going to have to circle the wagons and be ready for it."
The Ohio Attorney General's Office has its hands full, too. It must create a database in the next 90 days listing everyone found mentally incompetent by an Ohio court.
In addition, the attorney general has to produce brochures explaining the new law and the permit application forms - both of which will go before the Ohio Peace Officer's Training Commission for approval.
"Nothing like the database exists right now,' said Bob Beasley, spokesman for the Attorney General's Office. "We're working on it. The bill was signed yesterday, so we have 90 days."
Among the questions sheriffs were asking Friday:
• How will the $45 permit application fee be split, and will more state money be coming to cover the expense of processing the paperwork and performing the background checks?
• Can they refuse a permit if the person meets the criteria?
• People have to complete a "certified" firearms training course, but nothing in the law defines what a certified program is. Will there be a master list of certified programs across the state?
• Will training programs teach Ohio firearms law and self-defense law?
Butler County Sheriff's spokesman Monte Mayer said his office is waiting for answers.
"We are awaiting some direction on the law from the Buckeye State Sheriffs Association to determine exactly what steps we have to take," Mayer said. "The nuts and bolts have yet to be worked out. The next 30 to 60 days, we'll learn more about what needs to be done.
And the foremost question: How many people will apply for a permit?
"Who knows?" Mayer said.
The law allows people to apply for a permit in adjacent counties, which could mean that people trying to avoid what could be long lines in Hamilton County may file their applications in Clermont County.
"I think we'll be talking about thousands of people, not hundreds," Rodenberg said. "It's kind of like waiting for something to hit you in the head, but you don't know what it is. You can guess all you want to, but until (it happens), you're not going to have any way to know."
In Hamilton County, sheriff's spokesman Steve Barnett sent out an advisory asking that the public not call because there are too many unresolved issues.
Chuck Klein, a 61-year-old downtown resident who was part of the lawsuit that helped force passage of the law, has mixed feelings about the law.
"The number of places that we are restricted from carrying guns creates impossible scenarios," Klein said. "You can't carry one into a school safety zone. Now what is a parent supposed to do with the gun when he gets to the school? Lock it in the trunk before he gets to the school? That doesn't make any sense at all.
"I don't think putting a gun in a car is a good idea under any conditions."
E-mail dklepal@enquirer.com
You beat me by 24 seconds. I didn't know Alaska had been added to the very short list tho. I learn a lot on FR.
Someone here on FR does a color-coded map of the CCW states. Red for no-carry, yellow for restricted, and blue for shall-issue.
Now that most states are blue, they've added green (no permit required) to the map.
It gives gunowners a new objective.
They just don't like us peasants having guns. Period.
I don't understand *not* putting a gun in your car.
Me neither. For one thing, it provides some insurance in case the guns in your house are stolen.
Also, it's very difficult to draw from a traditional IWB holster if you're wearing a seat belt. So having a gun located within reach in the vehicle is imperative.
When I am coNtacted by a LEO while carrying my legal pistol, I don't want there to be confusion about whether Big Momma State has REALLY sAiD it was "OK". (Actually, our law is improved now- I no longer need the CCW to carry, although I still have it, mainly because it speeds up gun=buying (instant bacground check). Boy, hese guys better get a quick attitude adjustment if they come to work up here- dragging your feet to oppose laws the political leaders in the Department disapprove of is done up here, too, but the citizens reaLLY DON'T APPRECIATE IT.
At least it isn't California where the men squat to pee and the women make the rules.....Yet.
Now why would they want to be able to do that? Hmmmmmm.
Same thing jumped out at me too. One of their burning questions from the get-go.
We're sure that you're capable. From Cincinnati's WCPO's web site:
Sobriety Checkpoint Nets More Than DUIs
Hamilton Co. DUI Task Force To Set Up Checkpoints (12/27/03)
Reported by: 9News
A sobriety checkpoint set up this weekend by the Hamilton County DUI Task Force ended up with the arrest of four drivers under the influence. Police officers stopped more than 300-drivers on U.S. 42 in Sharonville from 10 p.m. Saturday night until 2 a.m. Sunday morning.
One of the drivers charged with DUI accelerated through the checkpoint almost striking an officer. When chase patrols caught up with the driver, she racked up additional charges to her DUI.
Officers intercepted more than drunk drivers. They netted four misdemeanor violations, 45-seat belt violations, and confiscated one gun.
Thirty-four officers from 11-agencies, including Cincinnati, Colerain Township, Evendale, Forest Park, Glendale, Greenhills, Loveland, Norwood, Mount Healthy, Sharonville and the Ohio State Patrol, participated in the effort.
The goal of the county-wide DUI task force is to reduce the number of deaths and injuries resulting from drinking-and-driving accidents.
Colonial Virginia, as well as several New England colonies, REQUIRED people to take their guns to church. As someone has put it, America was founded by religious nuts with guns.
Texas started out with that provision... until some clergymen complained. Some of them basically couldn't carry while en route from home to "office", since the "office" was in the church, and the home was on church grounds. Now it's up to the church to decide if they want to allow concealed carry in their building(s) or not.
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