Armed and ready -- Sheriff prepares for concealed carry law

March 26, 2004
New Philadelphia Times-Reporter

It’ll be close, but the Tuscarawas County Sheriff Department should have all the necessary tools to process permit applications for the concealed carry weapons law that goes into effect April 8.

The applications were received and are available in the lobby at the sheriff’s office from 8 to 4 Monday through Friday, Sheriff Walt Wilson said Thursday. People also may get the application from the Ohio attorney general’s Web site at www.ag.state.oh.us.

“We have (the information needed) and we’re getting (the rest), but it’s going to be down to the wire,” Wilson said.

The sheriff’s office still doesn’t have the 31-page Ohio Concealed Carry Law Pamphlet from the attorney general, he said. However, it is available at the attorney general’s Web site.

And although it seems like everything will be in place for April 8, no appointments for processing applications will be made until that day, Lt. Lon McEnroe said. Wilson assigned McEnroe to oversee the implementation.

“We don’t know what to expect as far as numbers (of people applying) go,” Wilson said, “so we shuffled duties a little bit in the office.”

McEnroe said he will try to accommodate various schedules, such as having application appointments in the evening and possibly on weekends.

Appointments must be made between 8 and 4 Monday through Friday.

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Another concern the sheriff had that’s been worked out is what the permits will look like.

The sheriff’s office bought $8,200 in equipment to make the permit cards, Wilson said. The license fees will pay for the equipment.

So far, about a third of Ohio’s 88 counties have bought the same equipment, which will produce permits with a hologram so they can’t be illegally reproduced.

The equipment comes at the recommendation of the Buckeye State Sheriffs’ Assn., which formed a committee to issue permits in a uniform way, Wilson said.

The sheriff’s office also will distribute 1,500 gunlocks to permit applicants.

Surrounding police departments and the sheriff’s office received gunlocks from Project ChildSafe, a firearm safety education program. The program bought the locks through a $50 million grant from the U.S. Department of Justice.

“We thought we’d wait and give them to the folks with the conceal/carry (permits),” Wilson said. “It makes sense to combine it.”

People who go to the office for their appointment must take a valid photo identification; a non-refundable application fee of $45 in cash, cashier’s check or money order; a completed application; and an original or photocopy of their firearms competency certificate.

A temporary emergency permit costs $30, and permits carry an additional $24 fee for people who haven’t lived in Ohio for more than five years.

A passport-size photo no longer is needed because of the department’s new equipment.

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