Now that “constitutional carry” legislation applies in Missouri, Texas County residents are apparently comfortable not having permits to carry a concealed firearm.
Texas County Sheriff’s Department dispatch supervisor Penny Rader, who handles concealed-carry (CCW) procedures for the county, said only 12 applications for new CCW permits have been received thus far in 2017. There were four in March, eight in February and none in January.
That’s a stark contrast from the 339 fielded in 2016 – an average of about 28 per month.
What’s more, not a single person has renewed a permit so far this year.
Texas County Sheriff James Sigman he supports removing the permit requirement, but sees one specific negative aspect.
“I support constitutional carry,” Sigman said, “and I don’t think we need a permit to tell us we can carry a firearm that the Constitution says we can have. But the one downside to constitutional carry is the lack of training. Where we live, we really are fortunate that a lot of people were raised up handling firearms, but you still have those who have very little time with them or training with them. And even those who do have a lot of time with a firearm might not know what constitutes justifiable use of force, and that was one aspect of the training that used to be required.”
Thanks to the passing of Senate Bill 656 (SB656), a law that took full effect Jan. 1 allows Missouri residents ages 21-and-over to carry a concealed firearm without a permit in places where it’s not prohibited (with the exception of people who are otherwise ineligible, such as convicted felons). Although the law allows Missourians to “carry” without a permit, many government and law enforcement officials are in favor of people still obtaining permits if they intend to carry.
“Constitutional carry permits the citizens who can legally carry a firearm to carry within the state without a permit, but Missouri constitutional carry does not permit carrying a concealed weapon beyond our state borders without a concealed carry permit that is recognized by another state,” Sigman said. “I believe every citizen who plans to carry should read Senate bill 656 and become familiar with it, in order to protect themselves.”
As awareness of the new law spread late in 2016, the slow-down in CCW permitting began even before the year was over. According to Missouri State Highway Patrol, which does the fingerprint checking for permits, fewer than 1,600 fingerprint submissions from local sheriffs’ departments were processed in December. That’s about 750 less than the previous three-year low of about 2,300 in June 2014.
Sen. Mike Cunningham, a District 33 Republican, said having a permit still makes sense for multiple legal reasons.
“Existing permit holders and potential permit holders should maintain or obtain their permits to help protect themselves from any potential legal issues or entering restricted locations accidentally,” Cunnigham said.
Travis Parish, gun specialist at Sharp Shooters Gun & Pawn in Houston, said securing a permit and then letting it lapse could have negative ramifications for someone who ends up in an incident where law enforcement steps in.
“If they’ve taken the class – so a judge or jury can say they were trained properly – that could be used against them,” Parish said. “Having a permit and then not having a permit could basically backfire on you.”
Concurrent with the drop in CCW permit applications, gun retailers in some areas of Missouri have reported a spike in pistol sales. That’s apparently not the case in Texas County, where sales seem to have risen more steadily over a longer period.
“Our sales haven’t picked up since the law changed,” Parish said, “but they have been picking up over the last year, especially in the three months before the election when people got kind of worried. We also see a lot more lookers now than we used to.”
To receive a Missouri CCW permit, applicants must be permanent residents of the state, be at least 19 years old, pass a background check and complete designated safety training. People convicted of certain crimes are not eligible, and sheriffs can refuse to issue permits if they believe applicants pose a danger to themselves or others.
Houston Police Department Chief Tim Ceplina agrees that it’s too bad many gun owners will now go without specialized training.
“I don’t disagree with legislature passing unpermitted conceal carry, but I do think there should be a training requirement,” Ceplina said. “I believe anyone who can legally carry a firearm should use the utmost care and try to gain as much training as they can. Training doesn’t do anything but enhance their safety and those around them as well.
“It’s not for me to decide what level of training there should be, but there should be at least a day-long session concerning what weapons laws are, proper use and handling of a firearm and safe employment of them. We would never consider hindering an American citizen who can legally carry a firearm from exercising that Second Amendment right. That being said, we want people to use good sense, proper reasoning and courtesy in the employment of it.”
Sigman said the lack of revenue generated by CCW permitting isn’t a very big deal for the county because all CCW proceeds have to go back into the CCW program anyway. He said the answer to the training dilemma lies in gun owners making sure to educate themselves in every way possible.
“It’s important to know the laws, and you can look them up,” Sigman said. “I really believe knowing what constitutes justifiable use of force, and researching that, would be good for everyone. If you’re going to carry a gun, be responsible and know what your rights are. If we’re not taking classes these days, then the responsibility falls on ourselves. It’s really only protecting yourself.
“Hindsight is 20-20, and you don’t want to be looking back and saying, ‘I wish I would have known about that law.’ We have a lot of laws on the books, and ignorance of them is no excuse.”
Ceplina also would prefer that all gun owners be aware of where they can and can’t carry, and of the many laws regarding gun use.
“It’s been said since long before I started doing this that ignorance of the law is no defense,” he said.
Rader said the cost for a CCW permit is $78.75. For more information, call the Texas County Sheriff’s Department at 417-967-4165.
CCW permit holders will continue to be able to carry, with permission, into the following places that are restricted: Schools, colleges and universities, child care facilities, casinos, churches, properly posted private property, government-owned buildings, law enforcement offices and restaurants and bars.
These locations will continue to prohibit all concealed weapons, including those carried by CCW permit holders: Gated areas of amusement parks, sports arenas with more than a 5,000-seat capacity, hospitals, courthouses, government meetings, within 25 feet of polling places, jails and prisons, airports, federal buildings and on public transportation.
CCW permit holders can still openly carry even in communities that have prohibited open carry, due to a bill passed by the state legislature in 2014 that supersedes local ordinances.
For more information in detail, log onto www.missouricarry.com.
In Missouri, CCW permits are issued by counties. For more information about the permitting process, call the Texas County Sheriff’s Department at 417-967-4165.