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A year later, few problems with concealed weapons
Josey1
Member Posts: 9,598 ✭✭
A year later, few problems with concealed weapons
Berrien County revokes just six of 861 licenses granted
By ROBERT A. REED
Tribune Correspondent
See Related Story:
Conceal and carry
In the last year, Brian Pears of Niles has gone from a person who didn't even own a handgun to someone licensed by the state of Michigan to legally carry his .40-caliber semiautomatic Glock pistol concealed in public.
"I don't consider myself a gun fanatic. I shot guns as a kid growing up, but didn't even buy a handgun until I took the concealed pistol class," said Pears, a 40-year-old registered nurse at South Bend's Saint Joseph Regional Medical Center. "It just seems like our society has become more violent, and the criminals have become more brazen. I personally feel safer now that I can go out armed."
Pears is among 51,491 state residents who have been issued concealed pistol licenses since July 1, 2001, when Public Act 381 made it easier for Michigan residents to legally carry concealed handguns. Michigan is now one of 32 states with so-called "shall-issue" laws.
Under the act, the burden of proof falls on the state's 83 county gun boards to show why an otherwise qualified applicant shouldn't be issued a concealed pistol license, as opposed to the old system where applicants generally had to show a compelling need to carry a concealed weapon. The law for the first time also established minimum age and firearms training standards for applicants.
Although policies varied by county, under the old system often the majority of permit applicants would either be denied permits or would receive licenses limited to hunting and target shooting, or restricted to certain business activities, such as carrying large money deposits to the bank.
"I did want to carry a gun for personal protection in the past, but the application process was so biased I never applied for a permit," Pears said. "The average person just couldn't get one unless he knew someone influential."
Berrien County Chief Assistant Prosecuting Attorney Arthur Cotter said that while there are still some concerns about more people carrying guns in public, he has to admit that he's pleased the first year of the law hasn't generated the kinds of problems that many feared would occur.
"I think it's fair to say 'so far, so-good,' " Cotter said. "There hasn't been this huge crime wave from people getting concealed-carry permits."
Cotter adds that while it has gone well, it hasn't been perfect. Of the 861 concealed pistol licenses issued in Berrien County from July 1, 2001, to July 1, 2002, six have been revoked for various reasons.
One license holder was convicted of possessing open intoxicants, another became the subject of a personal protection order, and a third license was revoked when the holder was convicted of assault and battery. A fourth was revoked when the holder was arrested for domestic violence and possession of a firearm while intoxicated, a fifth license was revoked when the holder failed to disclose possession of a concealed pistol to a police officer as required by law, and the sixth was revoked when a warrant was issued to the holder for brandishing a firearm in public.
"In terms of sheer numbers these are pretty isolated incidents," Cotter said. "Still, the instances where the licenses were revoked because the person was charged with domestic violence and possession of a firearm while intoxicated, and the other person charged with brandishing a firearm are two types of cases that concern me."
David Felbeck, president and chairman of the Michigan Coalition for Responsible Gun Owners, a Lansing based pro-gun group that supported the change in the law, also said that the first year has gone better than expected. He said he was concerned that with the number of permit holders that are out there, it would only take one person doing something very stupid to make them all look bad.
"I'm delighted because none of the bad things the people who were against this said would happen, actually did happen. The predictions that we'd have 'blood in the streets' and 'the shootout at the OK Corral' just weren't true. I think that's because people who are willing to go to the trouble to get trained and jump through some pretty serious legal hoops to get a permit understand the awesome responsibility they hold in their hands if they carry a gun."
According to Pears, the class he had to take to get his concealed pistol license drove that responsibility home to him.
"I'm more calm in situations where you could get angry," he said. "I avoid conflict now at all costs, which is something you have to do if you're carrying a weapon. I know that I can only use that weapon if my life or someone else's were in imminent danger."
http://www.southbendtribune.com/stories/2002/07/07/local.20020707-sbt-MICH-C1-A_year_later__few_pr.sto
"If cowardly and dishonorable men sometimes shoot unarmed men with army pistols or guns, the evil must be prevented by the penitentiary and gallows, and not by a general deprivation of a constitutional privilege." - Arkansas Supreme Court, 1878
Berrien County revokes just six of 861 licenses granted
By ROBERT A. REED
Tribune Correspondent
See Related Story:
Conceal and carry
In the last year, Brian Pears of Niles has gone from a person who didn't even own a handgun to someone licensed by the state of Michigan to legally carry his .40-caliber semiautomatic Glock pistol concealed in public.
"I don't consider myself a gun fanatic. I shot guns as a kid growing up, but didn't even buy a handgun until I took the concealed pistol class," said Pears, a 40-year-old registered nurse at South Bend's Saint Joseph Regional Medical Center. "It just seems like our society has become more violent, and the criminals have become more brazen. I personally feel safer now that I can go out armed."
Pears is among 51,491 state residents who have been issued concealed pistol licenses since July 1, 2001, when Public Act 381 made it easier for Michigan residents to legally carry concealed handguns. Michigan is now one of 32 states with so-called "shall-issue" laws.
Under the act, the burden of proof falls on the state's 83 county gun boards to show why an otherwise qualified applicant shouldn't be issued a concealed pistol license, as opposed to the old system where applicants generally had to show a compelling need to carry a concealed weapon. The law for the first time also established minimum age and firearms training standards for applicants.
Although policies varied by county, under the old system often the majority of permit applicants would either be denied permits or would receive licenses limited to hunting and target shooting, or restricted to certain business activities, such as carrying large money deposits to the bank.
"I did want to carry a gun for personal protection in the past, but the application process was so biased I never applied for a permit," Pears said. "The average person just couldn't get one unless he knew someone influential."
Berrien County Chief Assistant Prosecuting Attorney Arthur Cotter said that while there are still some concerns about more people carrying guns in public, he has to admit that he's pleased the first year of the law hasn't generated the kinds of problems that many feared would occur.
"I think it's fair to say 'so far, so-good,' " Cotter said. "There hasn't been this huge crime wave from people getting concealed-carry permits."
Cotter adds that while it has gone well, it hasn't been perfect. Of the 861 concealed pistol licenses issued in Berrien County from July 1, 2001, to July 1, 2002, six have been revoked for various reasons.
One license holder was convicted of possessing open intoxicants, another became the subject of a personal protection order, and a third license was revoked when the holder was convicted of assault and battery. A fourth was revoked when the holder was arrested for domestic violence and possession of a firearm while intoxicated, a fifth license was revoked when the holder failed to disclose possession of a concealed pistol to a police officer as required by law, and the sixth was revoked when a warrant was issued to the holder for brandishing a firearm in public.
"In terms of sheer numbers these are pretty isolated incidents," Cotter said. "Still, the instances where the licenses were revoked because the person was charged with domestic violence and possession of a firearm while intoxicated, and the other person charged with brandishing a firearm are two types of cases that concern me."
David Felbeck, president and chairman of the Michigan Coalition for Responsible Gun Owners, a Lansing based pro-gun group that supported the change in the law, also said that the first year has gone better than expected. He said he was concerned that with the number of permit holders that are out there, it would only take one person doing something very stupid to make them all look bad.
"I'm delighted because none of the bad things the people who were against this said would happen, actually did happen. The predictions that we'd have 'blood in the streets' and 'the shootout at the OK Corral' just weren't true. I think that's because people who are willing to go to the trouble to get trained and jump through some pretty serious legal hoops to get a permit understand the awesome responsibility they hold in their hands if they carry a gun."
According to Pears, the class he had to take to get his concealed pistol license drove that responsibility home to him.
"I'm more calm in situations where you could get angry," he said. "I avoid conflict now at all costs, which is something you have to do if you're carrying a weapon. I know that I can only use that weapon if my life or someone else's were in imminent danger."
http://www.southbendtribune.com/stories/2002/07/07/local.20020707-sbt-MICH-C1-A_year_later__few_pr.sto
"If cowardly and dishonorable men sometimes shoot unarmed men with army pistols or guns, the evil must be prevented by the penitentiary and gallows, and not by a general deprivation of a constitutional privilege." - Arkansas Supreme Court, 1878
Comments
If you need a Second Shot, YOU NEED MORE PRACTICE
I am a Berrien County resident and never read this article. The Herald Palladium of Berrien County had a similar article. That is the one I read. I appreciate you giving us the good stuff. I don't always have time to sift through some of the bull that is in the papers and magazines. I appreciate the things you post as a way of keeping me informed.
Thom
Do not mistake my kindness for weakness.
IALEFI, ASLET, NRA, and proud owner of a pair of S&W revolvers.