It is expected this week, that the Alabama House will be voting on HB272 that will allow law abiding citizens to carry a firearm concealed without the requirement of a concealed carry permit. Currently any person that wants to carry a firearm concealed must apply for a permit at their county sheriff’s office. The sheriff’s office then conducts a background check that includes a criminal background and a check into any mental health concerns that would be disqualifiers. After the background is complete, a permit to carry concealed is either issued or denied.
The Alabama Sheriff’s Association has been strongly opposing this bill due to the possible negative aspects this will have on the state. Many sheriffs have voiced concerns about the increasing violent crime rates across the country and how this can potentially increase gun violence here in Alabama. Groups supporting the bill have stated that the sheriffs only want to keep the concealed permits due to the funding they receive from permit applications.
The Calhoun County Journal recently spoke to some of the Chiefs of Police that run municipal police departments throughout the county. We learned that the municipal police departments do not receive any funding that is collected from the permits, and they do not have anything to do with the permitting process.
Chief Bill Partridge of the Oxford Police Department strongly opposes the bill and feels that it is going to take away another tool that is available to law enforcement. Currently if an officer sees a concealed weapon, he/she can investigate further to ensure the person carrying the weapon has a permit and is not potentially a criminal in possession of a firearm. Chief Partridge stated that “this is a serious officer safety issue” and every tool they take away from the police only works in favor of the criminal trying to get away with something. With the City of Oxford being on I-20, many people will travel to Georgia for work or recreation. Chief Partridge pointed out “If someone wants to travel to another state, they will still need a permit to carry their firearm” and none of the states that touch Alabama have a “constitutional carry” law. The Chief also said that there is a database being created for law enforcement to identity people prohibited to carry firearms, but it is not up and running at this time.
Chief Nick Bowles of the Anniston Police Department said, “I am a strong supporter of the 2nd amendment, I believe that the process of checking backgrounds of people concealing weapons is an important tool in keeping the public safe”.
Chief Wayne Bush of the Weaver Police Department also agrees that background checks are good for those that want to carry concealed weapons. He went on to say that he believes that permits are reasonable and help officers working to keep cities safe. When an officer interacts with someone carrying a firearm it is a much quicker interaction if the person has a permit. If this law is passed the interaction may take more time as the officer verifies the background of the person. “We work hard to keep any interaction between officers and the public to happen as quickly as possible”.
Sheriff Matthew Wade discussed his positions on opposing the legislation by saying this is a lot more than just a money issue. Sheriff Wade did say that “the funds from the permits do provide the sheriff’s office the ability to secure patrol vehicles.” Vehicle purchases are not currently in the budget, so the sheriff’s office created a fund where the permit fees are deposited. When the office needs to purchase new vehicles, they utilize the money from the fund to ensure deputies have vehicles to use for patrol. With this fund no longer being available, the purchase of new vehicles will need to be done through the budgeting process with the Calhoun County Commission and the use of additional taxpayer dollars.
The Sheriff then said his position is not primarily based on the financial side, but rather towards community safety. The Sheriff also said that law enforcement has the ability to conduct detailed background checks to ensure the people wanting to carry concealed weapons are not a danger to the community. Sheriff Wade made a point of mentioning that Timothy McVeigh was in jail for having a weapon in his vehicle without a carry permit. He was in jail when investigators were able to determine he was responsible for the Oklahoma City bombing. “It was the carry permit that helped to capture McVeigh and give investigators enough time to arrest him for the bombing.” He gave another example that occurred here in Calhoun County. Two people had been breaking into homes and cars in a neighborhood. When they were captured, they were found with weapons in their vehicle and did not have a permit, so they were arrested for possession of concealed weapons without a permit. While they were in jail on those charges, investigators were able to learn who the owners of the weapons were. The owners were contacted, and it was determined that the weapons had been stolen, but the owners were unaware of it and had not yet reported it.
“The concealed carry permit law has been on the books in Alabama for 90 years. It has been challenged in the past and was ruled to be a constitutional law. I am a lifetime member of the NRA and have my NRA Instructor certificate. I have, and always will be a strong supporter of the 2nd amendment and will always fight to protect our freedoms.” Sheriff Wade also discussed the statements that have been made from supporters of the bill. “I keep seeing the last four words of the second amendment being used ‘Shall not be infringed’ but no one mentions the first four words ‘A well-regulated militia’. Permits are part of being well-regulated.” The Sheriff closed by saying “I am protecting citizens’ rights and I will stand against any legislation trying to take anyone’s firearms. This bill is not about taking guns; it’s about ensuring law enforcement has a way to deal with the criminal element in our streets. Everyone wants to be safe and I am trying to ensure just that…the safety of our citizens.”
