Ark Valley News - Local officers split on gun law

Local officers split on gun law
By Josh Heck
Last Updated: March 31, 2006

The recent passage of the concealed carry bill has people talking, and local law enforcement officials are seemingly split with their responses to it.

Some are in favor of responsible citizens being allowed to carry firearms, while others aren’t so sure the law is a benefit.

Now, citizens will have the chance to decide whether to carry a concealed weapon after the House and Senate voted a combined 91-33 on March 23 to override Gov. Kathleen Sebelius’ veto of the concealed firearm bill.

One of the main arguments was whether states with a form of the concealed carry law are safer than those that don’t have a form of the law.

Kechi Police Chief Jason Doll said the new law wouldn’t make the state safer.

“It just opens the doors that might not have been there before,” he said.

With the possibility of more people carrying firearms, Doll said it tends to make law enforcement officers more nervous. The potential for misuse or mishandling weapons is a key concern for Doll as well.

The law states that anyone who applies for a permit must present evidence of the successful completion of an eight-hour weapons safety and training course that has been approved by the attorney general, local law enforcement or the National Rifle Association.

Additionally, the attorney general’s office will issue permits only after conducting background checks to eliminate, among others, those with a felony record, a history of mental illness and drug or alcohol abuse.

Park City Police Chief Bill Ball had reservations about the new law as well. He said he was not in favor of it, but hoped people would be responsible. Ball was also concerned about the security of places like city hall.

The law restricts places where concealed carry is not allowed; one of which is government buildings.

Guns also will not be permitted in schools, the state fairgrounds, daycare centers, houses of worship, bars, prisons and public libraries. Businesses may ban weapons at their own discretion.

Despite the restrictions, Ball feared some would not abide by them.

Kansas will be one of 36 “shall issue” states, which means if an individual is deemed legitimate to carry a weapon, the state must issue a permit to that person. Eight states have “may issue” laws that would allow officials to still restrict who is allowed to carry a firearm, despite the necessary permit requirements. Two states—Alaska and Vermont—have limited restrictions for carrying a concealed weapon.

Proponents argue citizens should have the right to defend themselves and allowing law-abiding citizens to have weapons could help reduce some criminal activity.

Officers in Bel Aire agreed. Police Chief Chris Ludiker and Lt. Carl Enterkin said they were in favor of the law giving responsible citizens an opportunity to carry a weapon and noted criminals already carry weapons and are not going to abide by the law anyway.

“I don’t see any adverse effects from it,” Ludiker said.

Enterkin said the department would wait and see what, if any, changes need to be made as more of the details and provisions of the law are presented. Ludiker added he is interested to see what happens to crime rates in the next couple of years.

“As cops, we want to see how it’s going to affect the community,” Enterkin said, adding the department wants the best possible outcomes for the citizens.

The Kansas Association of Chiefs of Police voted on the bill Feb. 1, which fell seven votes short of approval. Valley Center Police Chief and KACP President Kelly Parks was one who voted in favor of the bill.

He said Sen. Phil Journey, R-Haysville, introduced a secondary bill that addressed some earlier concerns about people with mental illness being able to obtain a permit. Journey has been a proponent of concealed carry.  Parks said if the secondary bill had been introduced sooner, the association’s vote might have been closer.

Parks was glad Kansas can now be included in the list of states with some form of concealed carry laws. He said the goal is to have as much uniformity in the state-to-state laws as possible.

Parks also said criminals already carry firearms.

“We need to let our good guys have them, too,” Parks said.

The Sunflower State was one of the few states that did not have some form of the law or another in place. The votes ended a 14-year effort to get a concealed carry law passed in the state. Sebelius deflated a similar bill in 2004, saying she would support concealed carry only for retired law enforcement officials.

In 1997, a concealed carry bill passed both the House and Senate, but Gov. Bill Graves vetoed it.

Kansans 21 or older can begin applying for licenses to carry concealed firearms after the permit regulations are hashed out—which is scheduled to begin in July— but the law won’t take effect until January 2007. Applicants must reside in the county where the application is filed and need to have lived in Kansas for at least six months. Applications will be taken at the county sheriff’s offices and then forwarded to the attorney general’s office.

The application fee for permits will be $150. Permits will be good for four years, with a $100 charge for renewal.