"A collective sigh": Area sheriff departments see no problems with new CCW law

July 19, 2004
New Philadelphia Times-Reporter

Ohio’s implementation of a concealed-carry weapons law in April caused some concern, but sheriff departments in the area say that they haven’t seen any problems.

“To the best of my knowledge, we’ve not had a traffic stop with a concealed carry weapon as of yet,” Carroll County Sheriff Ralph Lucas said.

Representatives from four other sheriff departments echoed that statement.

In addition, none reported that they were receiving calls about people with weapons.

“(The sheriff’s office) anticipated some phone calls from concerned residents that might notice people carrying weapons,” Coshocton County Sheriff Lt. Jim Crawford said. “That hasn’t happened, which is great.”

Click on the "Read More..." link below for more.

Statewide, it’s estimated that about 18,000 permits have been issued. In Carroll, Coshocton, Harrison, Holmes and Tuscarawas counties, a little more than 900 permits have been issued.

Capt. Joe Myers of the Harrison County sheriff’s office said the county has about 10 applications pending.

“About two-thirds (of all applicants) are from other counties,” Myers said.

People can apply at their county’s sheriff department or one in any adjacent county.

Two permits in Harrison County were denied because the people didn’t live in Ohio, Myers said.

“From what the initial push was … we thought (the number of people applying) was going to be a lot more, but it’s really slacked off,” he said.

Myers said he sees two reasons for that. One is that some people are waiting to take the necessary firearms course. The second is that many businesses have posted signs prohibiting weapons.

“The (permit carriers) that I’ve talked to say there’s no use carrying it … (because) owners posted that no guns can be carried,” Myers said.

Crawford said the Coshocton County sheriff’s office has fewer applicants than anticipated.

“I think a lot of people are waiting for the dust to settle,” Crawford said. “Our training classes are full. We see people that have taken the class even before the bill passed so they could be ready, and they are just now filtering in.”

About 15 applications are pending in Coshocton County.

In Tuscarawas County, Lt. Lon McEnroe said there were three denials, all because the applicants had previous criminal records.

“Most of the people that I’ve had go through the application process are level-headed people,” he said.

Many of the county’s applicants are buying the permit only to have it – not to actually carry a weapon.

There are different reasons for applying and some “may want to take it with them when they travel,” McEnroe said. “They may never carry a gun.

“I think people are waiting basically to see if the law changes. Right now, there’s no reciprocity with any other states.”

The majority of permits the office has issued, though, are to Tuscarawas County residents, McEnroe said. Six or seven permits were issued to former law enforcement officers.

Commentary
A more applicable headline that the one the newspapers chose is "A collective yawn" - just as we've long predicted it would be.

The latest estimates are that more than 25,000 people were licensed in the first 90 days. Also, Ohio Attorney General Jim Petro has signed reciprocity agreements with eight states. Finally, businesses are now taking signs down at a faster rate than they are putting them up.

Please help spread the word to cynical pro-CCW friends - if they don't get a license, they contribute to anti-gunners' spin that few are interested in legalized self-defense. They should not complain - they will have contributed to weakening OFCC's ability to seek improvements to the law.