Police chiefs implore Congress not to pass concealed-carry reciprocity gun law
courtesy houstonchronicle.com
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Here’s yet another clear reminder of the stark difference between sheriffs and chiefs of police where gun rights are concerned. Yesterday, a Pennsylvania sheriff made news by announcing that his department won’t be doing any business with companies that made a show of cutting ties with the NRA after the Parkland shooting.

On the flip side of the gun rights coin, today we get news that the International Association of Chiefs of Police took some time out of their busy day yesterday to send a letter to Congress. What prompted them to put pen to paper? Simple: the terrifying prospect that Americans who are licensed to carry a concealed firearms might be able to do so in all 50 states without being hassled, harassed or arrested.

“This legislation,” the letter states, “is a dangerous encroachment on individual state efforts to protect public safety, and it would effectively nullify duly enacted state laws and hamper law enforcement efforts to prevent gun violence.”

It’s difficult to imagine anything more horrific than New Jersey being forced to recognize a Kansas-issued concealed carry permit just as they would a drivers or marriage license. In fact, what they really fear is what could happen when the millions of people who live in may-issue (effectively, won’t issue in many jurisdictions) states discover that cousin Jim from Ohio can carry his M&P SHIELD pistol when he comes to visit, but they can’t.

Houston Chief Art Acevedo — a longtime opponent of relaxing any restrictions on the right to keep and bear arms — made the excuse case for opposing national reciprocity.

“Texas is a state that takes gun ownership seriously,” said Houston Police Chief Art Acevedo. Texas requires an applicant to receive training and demonstrate proficiency with a weapon before receiving a permit. “Until we have that kind of standard nationwide,” Acevedo said, “we should not be forced to accept reciprocity with places where any buffoon who has a pulse gets to carry a gun. We want a national standard. … It should not be a one-size-fits-all.”

Funny, we haven’t heard him complain about other states’ varying standards for issuing drivers licenses. And more people die behind the wheel every year than are shot to death. Besides, states that aren’t blatantly anti-gun already recognize most other states’ carry permits and Texas recognizes all but a handful.

The bill’s chief sponsor is Rep. Richard Hudson, R-N.C. When the bill passed the House in December, he said: “For the overwhelming majority of Americans who support concealed-carry reciprocity, Christmas came early.”

In response to the police chiefs’ letter, Hudson’s spokeswoman, Tatum Gibson, said: “With all due respect, they are failing to recognize that concealed-carry reciprocity is already a well-established concept between many of these states. A North Carolina [concealed carry] permit holder, for example, can legally carry a concealed weapon in 38 states, and the average state honors concealed carry permits from 32 other states.”

It would be nice to think that the chiefs actually have something to worry about in terms of the reciprocity bill’s imminent passage. But given the current climate in Washington, don’t look for any movement on concealed carry reciprocity any time soon.

 

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68 COMMENTS

  1. Hey, Chiefs, have a Starbucks on me. In Philadelphia.

    “This legislation,” the letter should have stated, “is a dangerous encroachment on our cockamamie jobs, and it would effectively nullify duly enacted state revenue collections and hamper law enforcement efforts to control people who didn’t do anything wrong.”

    Not to mention that the Chiefs would have to ditch some of the scrambled eggs from their silly hats.

      • When did it come into vogue for law enforcement officials to ape high ranking military officers anyway?Do these guys have any idea as to how many people are rolling their eyes behind their backs? Don’t they know how stupid they look?

        • I am just waiting for one of them to pull off the 5-star “general of the army” rank on their collar like they are Marshall or MacArthur. This needs to happen. But yeah, anything above full bird colonel insignia makes me roll my eyes.

        • Pictured doofus is Acevedo, who should take his shit back to CA, where he came from. Meanwhile, “INTERNATIONAL association”? Exsqueeze me?! Is this how they get such stupidity endorsed, by inviting Mexican Chiefs to offer their 2 cents worth? During the rare times they are not extorting or murdering their disarmed citizens? How many nations’ police are represented, and why would we give a shit what they think?

        • Acevedo came from California……to be the “Chief” in the peoples republic of Austin (TX) also known as San Francisco, East. Now he’s moved on to Houston…..good luck, Houston.

        • Houston Chief Art Acevedo;
          Police are not military! They are civilians, plane and simple. Your title is Chief not General.
          I know that Chicago had a system to recommend people to the mayor for that position. But Mayor Rahm Emanuel knew better and hired a guy that did not apply. Talk about some buffoon running around with a gun. He has a whole department.
          We have a Nation Standard for the owning and carry of arms. It is the United States Constitution. That is the base of all laws in the USA.
          We know that there are problems that you are working on. I think you are doing well. Unlike Chicago where a Police officer On Duty had his undercover car carjacked!

    • One question, would they be willing to surrender their national reciprocity? They are not more American than me!

      • Indeed. An off-duty cop is at last look around 7 times more likely to commit a violent crime than a CCW holder.

        If he’s worried about interstate crime than removing police carry reciprocity should be a much higher priority than preventing lawful CCW reciprocity.

        Most states already have reciprocity with most others. What we’re looking at here is the few blue-state holdouts wanting to keep their precious pearl-clutchers happy.

  2. This is the difference between being hired by a city government and on its payroll..Have to toe the line.. Compare that to a County Sheriff, who was given the job by the voters..

    • The sheriffs of Cuyahoga County (Cleveland) have always been antigun pricks who do everything to frustrate people trying to get CHLs.

    • Their political views are issued to them, along with their guns and General’s stars.

      Just think of them as wax museum dummies with too-large paychecks.

      • “Their political views are issued to them…”
        I think, instead, they are hired based on their political views (and their readiness to bend those views to match those of their employers., instead of issued them.
        And, if the chiefs ever balk at toeing the line of their employers, they are simply told there’s a line of people outside the door waiting for their job.

  3. When he was Chief in Austin, which explains a lot, we referred to him as Art Assholeveda. The man is a blatant traitor like the rest of these pocket dick taters.

  4. I remember when constitutional carry was being debated in WV. Most of the county sheriffs screamed about how dangerous it was going to be, blood in the streets, unable to arrest criminals carrying, etc.

    Why did these normally pro-gun sheriffs moan like elitist leftists? Money. Each permit issued is ~$75 (could be more now) that gets added to their bottom line.

    • Many of those Sheriff’s arrived for the photo-op along with Troopers & Chiefs and applauded the then Governor as he vetoed it. Plenty of others were in support of constitutional carry at the same time (although not covered as vocally). Not sure where the “Chiefs are just politicians and Sheriff’s aren’t” is coming from, both titles involve a mix of roles. The percentages are down to the individual and there are many Sheriff’s who cant’t be bothered with the whole LEO role.

      The Sheriff’s Departments have firearm instructors and people want trained, could have easily made up the shortfall (especially as they offered to cut the price in exchange for the veto.)

  5. This is an angle we can effectively attack them on for 50-state carry reciprocity.

    Like this –

    There are *far* more county sheriffs than there are city-slicker police chiefs. County sheriffs *overwhelmingly* support the right to concealed carry.

    We put up that famous electoral map of the county-by-county results of the 2016 national election –

    http://www.maproomblog.com/2016/11/3d-election-maps/

    We point out the obvious – The *vast* majority of the United States wants concealed-carry reciprocity.

    Run a national ad campaign showing that map.

    Because city police chiefs live nowhere near we do, and they will not respond if we call…

    • Counties don’t equal people. Most red counties are sparsely populated and just because they’re red doesn’t mean they support national reciprocity, they might, but you’d have to poll that specific issue. I’ll bet national reciprocity doesn’t even crack the top twenty political issues that most Americans even in “Red” counties are cognizant of as evidenced by the fact that no politicians run on it except as some peripheral special interest money raiser. In our pseudo democracy a presidential election is in now way an accurate reflection of the true political leaning of the country.

  6. I’ll agree to no national reciprocity. But here’s the deal. NO more police immunity, no police cut outs for anything. This means no automatic weapons or anything else normal civilians can’t have. They get treated just like we do.

    • Going along that same line of thinking, lets not recognize California drivers licenses in other states since illegals are issued them. We don’t want just anyone driving in our states just because they have a pulse.

  7. I don’t trust the police to be there when I need them. In fact police have committed murder.
    Ex-policeman have worked to take away the civil rights of law abiding people.

    Are they all bad? No. But if the leadership doesn’t support civil rights, then who will?

  8. Historical Excerpt:

    “The Second Amendment to the United States Constitution reads: A well regulated militia, being necessary to the security of a free state, the right of the people to keep and bear arms, shall not be infringed.”

    Out of all our Constitutional rights…Where does it say that anyone has to have a permit issued by a non-elected political bureaucratic buffoon…We the People all know that “Well Regulated, or Well -regulated” under 18-19th century language meant “in proper working order…Or to operate with precision like a time piece…” Which of course had absolutely NOTHING to do with any kind of government regulation…Especially after a rebellion with The British Monarchy, a tyrannical King and his Redcoats….So please explain to everyone how a “Constitutional right” can be subject to any form of “Government regulation ” at all when no such thing has ever be afforded to OUR wonderful Constitutional Bill of Rights…

  9. For the record and in thanks to Congressman Hudson, North Carolina honors permits from every state that offers one. Still Southern hospitality although useless .gov Roy Cooper would not agree. Yet only 38 states honor my North Carolina permit. You can go to USA Carry to count off the 12 that don’t, but I bet you don’t have to. You can guess most of them. A couple of them surprise me, given that NC requires an exceedingly boring 8 hour class, a mental health agency check, and a live shoot as well as all the usual background checks for the permit.

    • Ditto Iowa for recognizing other state’s permits and you can carry right into the IA Statehouse to speak with your elected reps and governor just by letting the old guys at the metal detectors know you’re carrying and show the valid permit. They will look at it, a week or so back he let me know mine was about to expire.

      Great people working there as security- no political posturing or lecturing. I used to be there quite often and before we passed this law a year or so back allowing carry into govt buildings. I’d always walk all the way up to the joint and realize I had my little Spyderco Ladybug on me. The officer would just hold it for me, even go to the point where he’d ask me when I came in if he should hang onto my knife.

      I always shoot the bull a bit with them when I enter. They all insist that they’ve never had an issue since the law has taken effect and they’re happy with it. More than a handful of the elected officials there are also happy since they’re toting, too.

  10. So typical. How many permits does Texas recognize? (Somebody should send a letter to Congress, cc Azevedo.)

    Sadly, though, I am resigned to the belief that reciprocity is nothing but a political football being played for effect, and that the RINOs really don’t care if it passes. They only care that they bring it up right before the elections so they can watch it fail to get past a filibuster, and then crow about that to their constituents.

    • They don’t care if ANYTHING they campaigned for passes.
      In fact, it appears they’d rather not be in power so they can safely say it’s not their fault they didn’t do any of the things they supposedly support doing.

    • Mark N., Texas recognizes licenses from Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Utah, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia, and Wyoming.

  11. I can understand that reciprocity can be a bit of a headache. In areas like New York City, they would no longer be able to assume that a person with a gun is a criminal. Too Bad! Next these chiefs may want to apply this to driver’s licenses and then to marriage licenses. But the CONSTITUTION calls for full faith and credit for the legal documents of the other states.

  12. “We want a national standard. … It should not be a one-size-fits-all.”

    That quote is a contradiction. They want one national standard that every state has to follow, then say that it should not be a one size fits all deal. So…which is it? Maybe he’s saying that they want a “standard” that doesn’t apply to everyone. Sounds like one of those cop carve outs they always put in a bill except it’s a state carve out this time.

    One of their claims is that b/c of reciprocity, “the chances of counterfeiting state permits would be great, given that with today’s technology you can create some very sophisticated looking documents.” Apparently, they’re claiming this is b/c police don’t have access to the NICS database. What that has to do with carry permits is beyond me. Does anyone know if NICS has information about carry permits in it?

    Also, police officers have got to be the whiniest, and most pussified bunch to walk the streets. “Oh, my job is dangerouser than yours. Waaah, do whatever it takes to make it home. Boohoo, everyone is out to hurt me.” They’re always yammering on and on about how this or that will make their jobs harder or more dangerous when the stats say that their jobs don’t even make the top 10 in the dangerous category. For god’s sake, my job IS more dangerous than being a cop but nobody is giving me a Hero Handjob every minute. Grow a pair, quityerbitchin, or quit. You’re at a voluntary job. If you can’t handle it, stop doing it.

    • About half the top 20 most dangerous professions in America disproportionally employ illegals or ex-cons, which are you? Should you even be touching guns? About half of those professions are last resorts for society’s cast offs, that’s likely why no one is offering you a hero hand job; they recognize you as the type who’s just not in prison,… right now. If your a trucker I hope your nearing retirement, society isn’t gonna have much use for you in about a decade. Go become a lineman if you can afford the schooling

      • Gee, Daryl, thank you for that blazing display of rationality and remorseless logic. But what else should we expect from Daryl Gates, beloved chief of the LAPD who brought militarism, urban assault vehicles, and a general “screw the citizen” outlook to police work? Although how you do it from your mother’s basement, I’ll never know.

    • I googled “Hero Handjob” to see if it had an Urban Dictionary entry to most likely crack some half assed joke…… but apparently there are “adult” videos where instead of Guitar Hero think something more… phallic.

      Learn new shit every day.

    • “We want a national standard. … It should not be a one-size-fits-all.”

      I can tell you for certain that when someone asks for a national standard you probably want to run from it. The national standard will likely be much more restrictive than that of many states, Iowa or South Carolina, for example, and would further burden us if passed, since we’d now have to live up (or down) to it.

      National 55 mph speed limit was a crock. National education standards took Iowa’s schools from 1st/2nd in the nation down to 34th in about 2 years. (Hint- it AIN’T that the other states’ standards were raised that much, as anyone can tell by asking their kids to read a newspaper to them or do some simple math…)

      If you want to push a “national standard” on firearms or carry, think “Washington, DC, NYC, San Francisco, Chicago”. Those will be the models. Seriously.

  13. Police chiefs are hired by the cities and are told what their political beliefs are. Sheriffs are elected by the people they serve and are in step with the people’s beliefs.

  14. What?

    “…Acevedo said, “we should not be forced to accept reciprocity with places where any buffoon who has a pulse gets to carry a gun. We want a national standard. … It should not be a one-size-fits-all.””

    Isn’t a national standard the very definition of a one-size-fits-all solution?

    • His lack of logic may be caused by the excessive number of stars on his collar, toxic metal inhalation most likely!

  15. “But the CONSTITUTION calls for full faith and credit for the legal documents of the other states.”

    Maybe we need to attack national concealed carry from a different angle.

    How about filing a lawsuit against states that don’t reciprocate for violating the constitution about legal documents from another state.

  16. Police chiefs are nothing but wanna be assKlownz.
    Who look the part.
    To those who take the 2nd literally as written in todays verbiage.
    “Shall not be infringed” as the key clause or actual law period. All other laws are unconstitutional in my book.
    Carry permit or not takes yur chances.
    I did for 20 years in NYC. Except for the last 2 years when I actually had a NYC amendment. At $275 Plus another $1550 in fees and lawyers.
    Fuggem.

  17. Bunch of assholes who wouldn’t know policing if it bit them in the ass.

    To give you an idea, the “International Association of Chiefs of Police” also was opposed to LEOSA (aka HR218) which exempted cops from general carry restrictions nationally. They opposed it unless the cop’s department could legally prohibit them from taking advantage of it. In other words, they wanted to make sure they could control ‘their people’ or no-go. It was passed around them.

    Now, I know such carveouts are unpopular here, but it just gives you an idea of what these numbnuts are about, and it’s not police. They’re political hacks. And plenty of sheriffs are, too. Don’t be fooled by the silly “sheriff vs chief” distinction that sometimes gets thrown around. A sheriff with anti-gun voters will be just as bad. It’s just that there are more “chiefs” in urban areas, which happen to tend liberal.

    • Well if they don’t want their own cops carrying outside their jurisdictions, at the very least they’re being consistent. They just want control.

  18. Why should they have to beg? I should think it’s obvious congress has no intention of taking this issue up, seeing as they just frittered away their only bargaining chip (fix NICS) for NOTHING.

  19. And you will notice that our own Official Hero Of The City Art Acevedo would never in a million years argue for uniform hand gun and rifle qualifications to be applied to every police department, including his own which is, as I recall, not particularly well known for either the weapons accuracy of it’s officers or their weapons handling safety record. Oh, well shucks, I forgot. Rules are for the rest of us and not them.

  20. make the process the same in each state…then make it like driving…the license is good in all 50
    yes…there would be some changes in many states, but wouldn’t it be worth it?
    oh…and most stats show CCW holders are even more law-abiding than cops themselves…just sayin’…

  21. individual state efforts to protect public safety, and it would effectively nullify duly enacted state laws and hamper law enforcement efforts to prevent gun violence.

    The experience of “Constititional Carry” states shows that these efforts and laws were based on lies.

  22. Most police chiefs serve at the pleasure of the politicians that appointed them. Being a former firefighter I saw my union presidents get appointed positions of the same because they sold the body out in contract bargaining. Which included changing rules to be able to climb the ladder themselves.

  23. The FLORIDA SHERIFF’S ASSOCIATION is against expanding gun rights. So the thought that Sheriffs are honest and Chiefs aren’t is laughable.

    Broward County Sheriff Scott Israel is just one fine example. There are plenty more like him. Look at California with the LA County Sheriff and their history. Former Sheriff Lee Baca ran a pay to carry scheme where only high donors to his campaign got approval for a CCW Permit.

    In California, the Sheriff issues permits and a number of them are No Issue / May Issue (to their buddies).

    • Florida has been infected by the mass migration of east coast Yankees who brought their New York/NewJersey anti gun politics with them, much the same as the influx of fleeing Californians moved Colorado into the anti gun column.

  24. Police chiefs are appointed by the mayor and city council. Useful idiots only to the mayor. They do as they are directed. Better talk to county sheriffs who are elected and reflect the will of their constituents.

  25. ‘…it would effectively nullify duly enacted state laws…’

    Funny how the Constitution works that way.

  26. A prime example of why government employees should have their rights to free expression and to petition the government restricted. Citizens have rights, not government employees.

  27. Texas requires an applicant to receive training and demonstrate proficiency with a weapon before receiving a permit. “Until we have that kind of standard nationwide,” Acevedo said, “we should not be forced to accept reciprocity with places where any buffoon who has a pulse gets to carry a gun.

    Nonsense. Texas honors carry licenses from Indiana and other states with no training requirements. What’s different about nationwide reciprocity?

  28. With reciprocity, jurisdictions compete. City guy wants season tickets, while country guy is happy if I let him hunt my land. I’m OK paying my cumshaw at some rural outlet storefront.

  29. Why on earth is he wasting time pretending like there is even a snowball’s chance that national reciprocity will be passed.

    Paul Ryan successfully stalled long enough (“now is not the right time”) that the Florida school shooting happened, effectively eliminating the possibility of reciprocity from happening in the next decade.

    So, well done Ryan. Don’t let the door hit you one the way out.

  30. The fact that the average reciprocity is already at 35 states should be emphasized to the max. Would be more if the separation between coastal states wasn’t so far, making the reciprocity needed by visitors less probable. By having that many states participating already, UR is just common sense, which seems to be a rare trait for some

  31. The vast majority of Police Chiefs and Sheriff’s that oppose national reciprocity are political hacks from cities and counties controlled by progressive liberal democrats. The same liberal strongholds that now oppose national reciprocity also vehemently opposed the National Law Enforcement Officer Safety Act signed into law by President Bush 2004 that enables concealed carry nationwide by current and retired LEO’s.

    Houston Police Chief Art Acevedo is the epitome of a liberal democrat political hack who came to Texas years ago from California when the leftist who’ve run Austin for decades hired the CHP commander as their Police Chief.

    Bottom line is that the overwhelming majority of LEO’s nationwide are pro gun and support the NRA and national reciprocity.

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