MI:Wayne Co. CCW delays trigger gripes

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Wayne Co. CCW delays trigger gripes Submitted on: January 21, 2002 http://observer-eccentric.com/local/Livonia/index.html CCW delays trigger gripesBy Larry O'ConnorStaff Writerloconnor@oe.homecomm.netGun advocates aired their grievances over concealed weapon applications languishing in limbo Wednesday night.Some report waiting more than six months to receive clearance in Wayne County whereas in other counties, including Oakland, the process only takes a month.Wayne County Sheriff Robert Ficano maintained his department is not involved in stall tactics. "There was no malice or attempts to put speed bumps into the road," he said.Ficano spoke before Michigan Coalition of Responsible Gun Owners, whose members filled the Civic Center Library auditorium.A number of elected officials also attended, including recently-elected Livonia council members Linda Dolan and Don Knapp, who thanked MCRGO members for their support in the November election.The county's top cop cited several factors for delays:n A lack of Wayne County Sheriff staff, especially depleted with Sept. 11 and Highland Park public safety department's dissolution. Requests for more staffing have been denied by the Wayne County Commission, Ficano said.n Confusion over where fingerprints are taken and sent. Livonia police is one of a handful of departments that doesn't process fingerprints.n A backlog at the state police, which verifies fingerprints before returning them to county sheriff.n A logjam at the county clerk's office, which issues permits once CCW applications are approved."I'm not here to make excuses," Ficano said, "but those are things that impact us." Wayne County has issued more than 2,000 CCW permits since the law passed, Ficano said. The county has received more than 5,000 applications.For those still waiting, the county is allowing people to apply for temporary CCW permits through the gun board, which next meets 9 a.m. Feb. 12 at Wayne County Community College's downtown campus.One state senator at the meeting Wednesday backed Ficano's claim about the lack of resources."My gut feeling is they don't like the sheriff's department and they're trying to regulate the hell out of it," State Sen. Christopher Dingell, D-Trenton.Some Livonia residents are dismayed its police department doesn't offer fingerprinting.Wayne County deputized 28 local departments to handle the task. Detroit, Garden City and Inkster are other police departments who don't provide the service."We don't have the manpower available to take anyone from regular duty," Deputy Chief Robert Stevenson said. "We would've done it if we had the manpower."The department has received about 15 complaints, Stevenson said. The policy isn't likely to change.About six months ago when the law took effect, the county had 1,500 concealed weapons applications. To process one application takes a half-hour, Stevenson said."Should we take a patrol car off the road to fingerprint the gun applicants?" Stevenson asked. "It's a business decision, but it's what is best for the overall majority of Livonia residents."MCRGO NOTE: The Livonia Police response is misleading in several ways. Anyone who has been fingerprinted knows that it takes about five minutes, not thirty. Also a sworn police officer is not required to take the prints. Livonia has an ample number of civilian employees and cadets who can do this right now. In fact they do fingerprint right now for anyone needing prints for employment. Until the new law took effect, they also fingerprinted for CCW permits without any complaints. Why is it they could do it before July 1 without a problem but now they suddenly can't/won't fingerprint CCW applicants only?Also the Deputy Chief fails to mention that he asked the Sheriff to expedite fingerprinting for the Livonia Police reservists so that they could get CCW licenses to carry as reserve officers. Apparently it's not acceptable to Livonia to delay them but it's no problem to delay the taxpaying citizens who want the same permit. Kudos to Sheriff Ficano for refusing and for telling Livonia that it's reservists could stand in line just like everyone else.If you're a Livonia resident, please call that department today and ask to speak to Deputy Cheif Stevenson. Let him know that you want Livonia to take your prints. Then call the Mayor and City Council and let THEM know. http://www.mcrgo.org/news_story.asp?key=737