11/3/1982 - Laserfiche WebLink

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L_ NOV 3 M r and he wished to recommend that a time limit be set. He felt a maximum of 30 days would be adequate. Rivers Anderson, longtime county resident, believed that the Board is addressing only a very small percentage of the total problem since it appears there is something like a total of 107 concealed weapons permits issued by the County while there are about 10,000 people in the county who own handguns. He felt another basic point is that the State requires five basic criteria to qualify for a concealed weapons permit, i.e., you can't be a convicted felon or have a mental disability, etc., and none of these criteria include showing proficiency on a gun range. Commissioner Wodtke agreed, but pointed out that the Statutes also say the permit to carry a.concealed weapon shall be issued by the Board of County Commissioners, and that is where the problem with the liability arises; if the county issues a permit to someone who has never fired a gun, we could be liable for their actions. Mr. Anderson argued that when a person goes through the course, he is calm; no stress is involved;, and there is no guarantee that under stressful conditions that person will not use the weapon in an improper way. He did not believe the Commission is solving a problem with all this criteria, but just creating red tape and harassment of private citizens. Commissioner Bird commented that he had asked the Attorney if we might be putting ourselves in an even more liable situation by offering the course, and the Attorney's advice was that we are in a better position to have the course. James Lucas informed the Board that he has been a hunter since he was very young; he served on the Police Department of Baltimore County; he was a firearms instructor for 30 years ; and it was his feeling that on the range 88 K 51 FnUE 91.5 1982