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Friday, February 10, 2012
Ask Officer Michelle - Carrying A Concealed Weapon Takes A Lot of Consideration
by Michelle Lazark, published on November 8, 2009 at 7:07 AM
Storyline: Ask Officer Michelle
Posted by Sorren
Hello officer Michelle, thanks for always answering my potentially pesky questions ;)
I have another issue that has been bothering me a lot. As you of course know, some unfortunate kid got killed on campus a couple weeks ago. Three days before that, there were gunshots fired on my block in what I used to think was an upper-middleclass safe neighborhood.
I don’t really feel safe anymore, and decided that I’m going to purchase a handgun immediately as soon as I can afford the one that I want. The issue is, that it’s not useful, if I can’t have access to it on a whim.
I had my dad’s gun a few years ago when I lived in chicago. No CCW. So I had an unloaded, locked up pistol in the back seat of my vehicle, when I got held up and had to give up my (thankfully lo-jacked) vehicle. I had the means to defend myself in arms reach, and there was nothing that could be done.
I’d really rather not relive that experience, and invest in a 500 dollar firearm that I can’t use because I can’t carry it. I think it’s really unfortunate that I’d get charged with a felony for trying to defend myself against, you know… ACTUAL criminals.
How does one go about successfully getting a CCW permit? I heard it’s extremely difficult here (and impossible for those who’ve lived here under a year like me.)
Thanks as always for your time!
-Sorren
Dear Sorren,
That’s just it! If you don’t have access to your gun when you need it, it is a moot point. I have written on the topic of California Concealed Weapons (CCW) permits in the past. It is a very passionate topic which has been more in the forefront than ever before because of economics, some agencies laying off officers, prisoners getting reduced prison sentences, and increased violence. I want to play devil’s advocate with you if I may.
If you were to obtain a CCW, I would suggest you take a class to learn how to use a gun as well. Not just firing one, but learning how to take it apart, clean in, proper storage and transporting issues, and most importantly, the legal aspects and use of deadly force policies. You certainly have the constitutional right to protect yourself and your family; however, I always add as a caveat that more people are injured and/or killed by accident with their own handguns. The fact of the matter is that most violent gun crimes are committed by a relatively small segment of the total population.
I am a retired army officer and have been with the Sacramento Police Department for nearly 19 years. I understand the right to bear arms. I just caution citizens against possible civil liability that can result from their use of a gun. I reiterate that if you point a gun at someone, you may have to pull the trigger. If you are going to pull the trigger, are you justified in doing so?
Others may not be as responsible as you in storing a handgun. I’ve heard of people keeping their guns under their pillows or next to their beds locked and loaded. What if this same handgun gets into the hands of a child who is showing his or her dad’s gun to a friend, or picks it up out of curiosity? Then there is also the danger that a suspect gets the gun from you and uses it on you.
The way to obtain a CCW is to contact your county’s Sheriff’s Office, or if you are a resident of an incorporated city, your city’s Police Department, for information on obtaining a CCW license. They can answer your questions and provide you with copies of their CCW policy statement and the State’s Standardized CCW Application. If you live within a jurisdiction of a city police department, you may apply to the county Sheriff’s Office for a CCW license. However, only residents of a city may apply to a city’s Police Department for a CCW license. One point to remember is that California law does not recognize CCW licenses issued in other states.
The Office of the Attorney General (www.ag.ca.gov/firarms) has all the answers you need to any of your CCW questions. In regards to issuing these permits, the Sacramento Police follows the standards of the CA Department of Justice. I certainly gave you a long answer, but it wasn’t only intended for you, but other readers who are considering obtaining a CCW permit. Thank you for your post.
Officer Michelle
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If you wait for the police to come to your aid, you could be dead by the time they respond.
I personally would much rather be charged with a misdemeanor for carrying a gun, than not having one when your life depends on it. Over the years my guns have saved lives, a few times......I know this for a fact....I wont go into too much detail here, but TWICE in the last year, I was the victim of attempted home invasions, once the scumbags tried to enter my 5 year old sons bedroom at 3:30 AM...(in South Natomas, which has turned into a ghetto since Ray Tretheway has been on the Council) there are gang members sitting in prison now, they are lucky they are still alive. Back in 94, on one of the few occasions I was without a firearm, (Not admitting that I carry one illegally now) I was robbed and stabbed in downtown Sacramento, If I was not so close to the UCD trauma center, I would have died. I would have been safe, and two gang members would have been dead or in jail, if I had carried that night...it was a hard lesson to learn. Sacramento is in fact a dangerous place with many predators.
Also purchase a gun vault www.gunvault.com....(you can get one on ebay for under $100) you can carry this in your car legally if you understand the laws....do your own research... at home, on your own property you can carry a concealed weapon as well.
But most importantly, take a class on how to use a firearm AND just as importantly, WHEN using deadly force is legal and approporiate. If you have kids, keep it locked up at all times...use a gun safe or the gunvault I mentioned above.
Nonsense. Unfortunately, Officer Michelle, nonsense like this ...in a sort of "throw-away" line..... blemishes your otherwise excellent article.
Professor Gary Kleck has shown that the the total number of defensive gun uses in the US is on the order of 1 million...that's 1,000,000 ....each year, and may be as high as 2.5 million. (Gary Kleck, Point Blank, Aldine de Gruyter Press, 1991) Other sources report lower numbers. The National Crime Victimization Survey, run by the DoJ, will typically estimate about 100,000 DGU's per year. (see Gun Control in the United States, A Reference Handbook, pg 19.)
No one doubts that the majority of DGUs are with handguns. As Kleck points out, apparently nearly all guns people keep loaded in their homes are handguns. And of course, all of us who have CCWs carry handguns.
And what is the total number of accidental gun injuries in the US each year? Well, we can go to the Centers for Disease Control website and use the WISQARS search tool. In 2006 - the last year for which i can find complete data - there were 642 accidental gun deaths and 14,678 nonfatal accidental firearms injuries. (see http://www.cdc.gov/injury/wisqars). That's a total of about 15,000 firearms injuries per year, of which about 2% are fatal. (I can't find a breakdown on handguns versus long guns here, so I'll keep doing some research.)
Realizing we are working with statistics, we see that there are probably anywhere from 6 to 160 times as many defensive gun uses as accidnetal gun injuries.
So, no, you are not more likely to hurt yourself accidnetally with a gun than you are to be able to use a gun in self-defense.
Yours,
Andrew Frechtling
Each individual has the responsibility to to become proficient in firearms use if they intend to carry it. It is also their inherent responsibility to provide for the gun's security against unauthorized access and possible criminal misuse. The state cannot dictate proper storage methods nor restrict emergency access to defensive firearms lest they become accessories to grave bodily injury or death from their shortsighted pro-criminal legislation.
- -------some agencies laying off officers-- and the agencies and their unions use this prophaganda to sway and/or manipulate public opinion-- like the boy who cried wolf--"we need more officers...we need more officers...." for goodness sake....
--------prisoners getting reduced prison sentences---- violent crimes, violent offenders are NOT getting reduced sentences-- 10-20-life is not locking away teens as young as 14yrs old for life and sometimes for crimes which do not involve murder..... But violent offenders are not being released....... for goodness sake
-------- increased violence----- well anything predictable is preventable if we look to doing more than doing more than hiring more and more officers and not addressing the issue of crime at the root....verses simply funding more "branches" of law enforcement---- for goodness sake
There has been much research on the subject . Now its not so much a question of the righto keep arms..that has been established as every citizens right...the question now is the right to BEAR arms
which is more controversial. but it should not be .
There are two approaches to the subject of the right to BEAR arms...most spend their efforts on the Constitutional and SecondAmendment arguments. Thats fine ...if a citizen is a lawful , non violent, non aggresssive person then he has the right to carry a weapon of his choice.
Problem is , we may have the right ...but the Sheriff will arrest you, you will now have a record ..misdemeanor or felony will depend on the details of the arrest....and now you will never be able to get a CCW permit because you excercised you RKBA...right to keep and bear arms...
The second approach to the right to bear arms is , for lack of a better term , the PRACTICAL reasons that support the right to carry a weapon. These are not so much "arguments" as facts.
Numerous Studies, Reports and Publications have now been done that examine whether the carry of weapon , CCW... results in increased crime, death, murders, or accidents.
The common perception and common myths are repeated over and over again in the media, by law enforcement , are that if the average people carrry guns, CCW.. crime will increase , there will be bloodin the streets and life as we know it will cease to exist..OK..a little exaggeration- not much.
What if , however , someone..scientists, economists, even anti gun people did some studies with scientific rigor and such detail that they can hardly be refuted...?
These studies have proven ..over and over again..that when citizens are screened to eliminate the criminal element, to eliminate the mental problems, the violent and aggressive individuals that
the normal lawful,, law abiding folks...ladies and gentlement like you and me...that when these folks are allowed to excercise the right to carry a firearm..CRIME GOES DOWN....
This is science, Michelle,,, not propaganda. I just realized i have a word limit here...
So here are some of the sources...
"POINT BLANK" Prof Gary Kleck..
"MORE GUNS , LESS CRIME" Prof John Lott
If you google these ..buy them , read them...absorb them.
There are many more but look at the bibliography of these...read more.
WWW.CALCCW.COM
WWW.CRPA.ORG
WWW.AWARE.COM.... ARM WOMEN AGAINST RAPE...ABOUT TIME!
WWW.CONCEALEDCAMPUS .ORG.....CCW ON COLLEGE CAMPUS
WWW.GUNOWNERSCA.COM....
it will be a misdemeanor or a felony depending on what happens..
first ..why do you ask the question...? its against the law...
if you are sui generis and know it...that s one thing..you are ready for the consequences
but i suspect not...so dont do it unless and until you do
complete a ccw gun course ... theres one on fruitrdge rd
apply and recieve your ccw...not likely ...but do the course anyway...
mean while ..if you dont really "know" what youre doing ...dont do it..
unless you know the consequences and are ready for them...
that help?