| News outlets begin reporting on 2005 Annual Concealed Handgun License Report |
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| Written by Jeff Garvas | |
| Friday, 17 February 2006 | |
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Lake County ranked fourth in the 2005 Annual Report required by law and published by Attorney General Jim Petro earlier this week. The Cleveland Plain Dealer covered this in a brief article Thursday: Lake County 4th in concealed-gun permits The Columbus Dispatch is playing on the numbers being down, which is expected after the initial surge in license applicants: Conceal-carry requests drop "Half as many sought permits in 2005 as in ’04" Channel 5 in Cincinnati came to a similar conclusion: Attorney General: Fewer Concealed Weapon Applications In Ohio But they did cite the obvious reason: Petro's office and the Buckeye State Sheriffs' Association speculate that the number of licenses dropped after an expected rush to apply during the law's first year.Ohio's Concealed Carry law allows applicants to apply with the Sheriff of the county that they live in, or any adjacent county. Ohioans For Concealed Carry fought for this provision during HB247 and HB12 negotiations because Sheriffs could introduce "hurdles" or flat out refuse to distribute licenses if you only had one office to apply with. Little did we know how successful that provision would become in Ohio's concealed carry law. Upon implementation Cuyahoga County refused to accept applications on legal day one. That issue was resolved by an OFCC supporter who settled out of court. But the bigger issue has become convienence. Parking in downtown Cleveland isn't fun and costs money. Going to a county that was known for turning your license around in a week was sometimes worth the entra drive time, too. Deputy Michael Perry, who issues the permits, said about half went to Cuyahoga County residents whose instructors recommend Lake County's facility. Cuyahoga County did not issue permits in early 2004 because of renovations at the Justice Center in Cleveland.(Click 'READ MORE' to continue) While all Sheriffs eventually accepted the reality that they must accept applicants and issue licenses, some started implementing policies that they'll only accept licenses if you have an appointment, or if you attend their office during limited hours. Further, many departments started getting a reputation for their turn around time. Ohioans For Concealed Carry is constantly asked "where should I apply?" -- and for the longest time the answer to that question was anywhere but Cuyahoga County. As an instructor I regularly referred people to Geagua due to their record of turning licenses around rather quickly, as compared to some counties that take the full 45 days or longer. While the paper is focusing on the number of licenses issued and why, we feel the more important story that should be recognized every time this annual report comes out is how effective has concealed carry been in the lives of people who have been attacked. Finally, that point has seen the light of day: Jeff Garvas of Summit County, president of a political action group that lobbied hard for the law and provides training and legal information, says the law has protected people.Finally, a news paper has addressed the fact most of us would love to see the news media cover on a regular basis. The Columbus Dispatch covered this as well, quoting both us and Toby Hoover: "It’s not just a license law that is letting people walk around carrying firearms," said Jeff Garvas, president of Ohioans for Concealed Carry. "It’s a license law that is actually saving lives."I guess if you keep telling yourself that you eventually believe it. |