Sacramento Sheriff Threatens To Issue Gun Permits In Face Of Cuts
Getting a concealed carry permit is California is at the discretion of the Sheriff. Many other States have “shall issue” laws meaning that unless an individual has been convicted of a crime they are eligible to receive a permit. This is after completing an application process which includes classes on gun laws and a proficiency test. In most counties, Sacramento included, forget it. Unless you carry huge amounts of cash or have some other compelling reason to get a permit, you are not getting one.
Sacramento County Sheriff John McGinness in an attempt to pressure the County Board Of Supervisors not to cut 300 officers from the department is threatening to issue more permits.
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Faced with the potential loss of 300 deputies due to budget cuts, the Sacramento County sheriff may consider issuing more concealed weapons permits.
Sacramento County Sheriff John McGinness said at a public budget workshop in May that if the cuts happen, people would wait “long, long periods of time for the most basic public safety services, specifically uniformed officers in the field.”
“With the anticipated decrement in patrol staffing, and the resultant potential for inadequate patrol officer staffing, I will have to reconsider the criteria for issuance of CCWs [concealed weapons permits]. Nothing is etched in stone, but as circumstances change, we need to address public safety in an environment with too few patrol officer positions to meet traditional expectations,” McGinness said in a statement. -source SacBee.com
If Sheriff McGinness follows through he will level the playing field for citizens who are at the mercy of criminals who do not care if they have a permit. He should do this even if the Board fully restores his funding. All citizens have a right to defend themselves and should be able to lawfully have the means to do so.
Not all people are competent enough to carry a gun. Esp when they can be concealed. There are many disturbed people walking the streets of cities across America, and the last thing we need is to allow for EVERYONE to carry pistols and have Broadway looking like something out of a wild west movie. Life isn’t like the movies. You can’t dodge bullets in real life.
Right now McGuinness declines to issue permits to anyone who has not resided 12 months in the county, regardless of their training and competency. He says he may issue more if the number of deputies is reduced. Prior to the reduction, it still takes minutes to call 911 and request a deputy respond and still minutes to hours longer for them to arrive. Concealed carry provided immediate defense against lethal threat – and is not an alternative to a deputy responding sometime whenever.
911 is not a response to lethal threat whether there are 300 or just 30 deputies on the street. If you are being held up, it’s no good saying “Don’t shoot, I’m calling 911″ If faced with a lethal weapon, drawing your own if self defense (or defense of another)may be the difference between living and dying. McGuinness must have the resources he needs to keep law and order in the county, but remember he has no legal obligation to keep any specific individual safe. If harm befalls you, you cannot claim that he failed to keep you safe. The duty to keep yourself and your family safe falls entirely to you – yet McGuinness refuses to allow law abiding citizens to protect themselves. Right now a firearms instructor and a thirty year law enforcement veteran have both resorted to legal action against McGuinness and the County after they have been blocked from obtaining a permit to carry a weapon that might one day save your life. McGuinness’s response to the action is to say in so many words “I know nothing!” while at the same time he goes on TV and says fewer deputies may mean more CCWs. This seasoned law enforcement veteran clearly displays a lack of understanding of why his voters want to be able to protect themselves.
Right now the people you are describing ALREADY ARE CARRYING GUNS. Issuing permits to those who take the necessary training and demonstrate the required competency would help level the playing field. Law abiding citizens have a right to protect themselves.
There are a variety of books & white papers on the subject.
A few points:
* Bad guys already have & carry guns
* “NO GUN” zones are killing fields…
* If Mr Average Law Abiding Citizen with training were issued CCW
hes the one to pop the bad guy before the cops get there.
* Bad guys know when CCWs are issued …
…when they walk into the stop & rob..
they remember “do ya feel lucky punk?”
* But if they know that nobody has guns ..hey its all free fire zone
* Crime Goes down .See “More Guns Less Crime” by Dr John Lott
* The folks thatt oppose CCW benefit from those of us who do CCW
* REPEAT: Law Abiding Citizens With NO Mental or Criminal Record
* The following is only for folks who can read and understand complex concepts
.:Google “Point Blank” by Prof Gary Kleck..buy it ..read it…repeat
* Finally ,, if you can withstand a real ass kicking challenge
Google: “LIBERTY” a white paper by Peter J Mancus Atty..
its about 50 pages ..print it ..put it in a binder..study it ..
* I lied ..this is FINALLY: get your own copy of the Constitution and Bill of Rights…read it …study it ..give thanks that it exists.
….give your ass to protect it ..and live by it..
Thats my two bits…
I am looking to start a CCW activist group in Sacra…
if you are serious about RKBA and want to help
..email reply ..i need volunteers.
Best Regards
LTP