[Ca.] O.C. sheriff tightens policy on concealed-weapons permits

[crakkajakka15]

Applicants must prove there is a legitimate threat to their safety and agree to undergo psychological, polygraph or medical testing. The tightened rules also apply to those who already have permits.


By Stuart Pfeifer, Los Angeles Times Staff Writer


August 12, 2008
Orange County Sheriff Sandra Hutchens on Monday released a policy that could lead to the revocation of dozens, if not hundreds, of concealed-weapons permits issued by former Sheriff Michael S. Carona.

Hutchens' new policy requires that to get a concealed-firearm permit, applicants must prove there is a legitimate threat to their safety and agree to undergo possible psychological, polygraph or medical testing.

When she took office two months ago, Hutchens inherited the responsibility of overseeing about 1,100 concealed-weapons permits that Carona had issued. Many of the holders were businessmen, doctors, lawyers and dentists. Several were financial contributors to Carona's campaigns.

Capt. Dave Nighswonger, who is overseeing the review, said sheriff's investigators would send letters to those in jeopardy of losing their permits and give them an opportunity to explain why they need to carry a concealed weapon. The first letters could go out in about two weeks, he said.

In California, sheriffs and police chiefs have broad discretion to issue gun permits to the public; the number issued varies widely from county to county. Los Angeles County Sheriff Lee Baca has issued fewer than 400 concealed-weapon permits.

The permits allow the holder to carry concealed weapons in public places.

Gun owners don't need the permits to keep weapons at their homes.

Hutchens' new policy states that anyone with a previous felony conviction or a misdemeanor conviction involving violence will be ineligible for a weapons permit. In addition, anyone with a misdemeanor conviction of any kind within the previous five years will be denied a permit.

"The good-cause threshold you have to meet has gone up," Nighswonger said. "The prior sheriff had more of a right-to-carry philosophy. Some of the things that were considered good cause won't be now."

The first order of business for Nighswonger's staff will be to review pending applications and renewals to see if the applicants are eligible for permits. Once those decisions are made, investigators will look at the 1,100 active permits, probably starting in alphabetical order, he said.

"We don't see the numbers dropping to a few hundred, but there will be some who don't apply and some who have their permits denied or revoked," Nighswonger said.

In a letter to the public posted on the department's blog, Hutchens explained that she will issue the permits "to persons of good and upstanding character who possess credible, significant and substantiated cause to fear for their safety."

Licenses "will not be issued for political, social or other reasons," she wrote.

She cautioned that firearms should be used as a last resort and said anyone who misuses a weapon in public faces revocation of their permit and possible criminal prosecution.

stuart.pfeifer@latimes.com



http://www.latimes.com/features/heal...0,284131.story

[Brick]

So when exactly is the firearms and ammunition industry as a whole GET IT and refuse to do any business at all in or with California?

So far as I know only Barrett and STI have taken this stance (and I applaud and support thier decision). When the California Sheriffs and Police Departments cannot get guns, ammo or repair parts maybe California's idiocy will change.

[P-11 shooter]

So she will only give you a permit if you have a valid reason to fear for your safety?

Dosn't she watch the news?

That would apply to anyone who




eats at a diner
shops at the mall
goes to school
works
goes to church
drives down a street
stands on a street corner
goes to the post office


I mean the list is endless. Mass violence can happen anywhere these days. If you go to the mall then you have a reason to fear for your safety.

[P-11 shooter]

Women on this board might disagree, but I think the fact that she is a woman has alot to do with this. Also the fact that this is Kalifornia, but women in power seem to have a thing for dis-arming men. I hope Gunlawyer dosn't get pissed I post this because it's true on so many levels.



Women who campaign against guns are almost always frigid, ugly, and/or castrating bitches, but women who promote guns are not. Sure, the hot Hollywood babes are mostly anti-gun, but they're just going with political correctness. The hags who dedicate their lives to disarming men are just working around the fact that it's illegal for them to stab all men in the crotch.

[chugger95]

I think if I already had a permit and got one of those letters, I would just clip out news articles about crimes in all the places I go to (church, grocery store, mall, etc.) then attach a copy of my criminal record (blank sheet of paper), a copy of the 2nd ammendment, and then a very sarcastic letter explaining the relevance of all three. See how she likes that. I don't see how crime statistics, especially in CA, would not show a need to carry a weapon for self defense.

[reverserboy]

So when exactly is the firearms and ammunition industry as a whole GET IT and refuse to do any business at all in or with California?

NJ is just as bad.

[Tootie]

Originally Posted by P-11 shooter

Women on this board might disagree, but I think the fact that she is a woman has alot to do with this. Also the fact that this is Kalifornia, but women in power seem to have a thing for dis-arming men. I hope Gunlawyer dosn't get pissed I post this because it's true on so many levels.



Women who campaign against guns are almost always frigid, ugly, and/or castrating bitches, but women who promote guns are not. Sure, the hot Hollywood babes are mostly anti-gun, but they're just going with political correctness. The hags who dedicate their lives to disarming men are just working around the fact that it's illegal for them to stab all men in the crotch.

I have to agree with your first statement. Many women are afraid of guns, they think of them as a tool for crime and not a tool for self protection. The brainwashing begins at a very early age.


*bold = to funny, they are also in the women libbers group.

[dc dalton]

But seriously now, are we REALLY surprised at this coming out of the Socialist Republic of Kalifornia? If ever there was a state that needed to become their own country that would be the one.

They don't call it the land of fruits and nuts for nothing you know.

[JCWohlschlag]

I would like to know when living in Orange County, California stopped being its own reason to fear for your safety. I used to live next door in Riverside County, and believe me, Orange County is fearsome.

[ALS]

Lets start with the Sheriff and 100% of the deputies on the force.
We all know that almost 100% of the Politicians in Orange County will fail the polygraph and psychological testing.