Page 17 - FINAL EAST FOP BlueNote 2017 July August

FOP Weighs in on Omnibus Bill Change Debate

By Terry Mangum – Immediate Past-President

Throughout the time the State the safety of the public, that caused sheriff. A person cannot have been

Lodge has had a formal legislative the Board to weigh in. convicted of certain crimes, be

advocacy program, and a paid lobby- The bill would eliminate in most prohibited under federal law, be

ist, the Fraternal Order of Police has cases the requirement to obtain a per- subject to a domestic violence pro-

rarely involved itself in legislation mit to carry a concealed handgun. It tective order or have been treated

effecting a citizen’s ability to carry a would also allow anyone 18 or older for mental illness and be granted a

firearm. We did not take a position to carry a concealed weapon, includ- permit. “Under the current law an

in the mid-1990’s on the bill that al- ing a handgun without a concealed officer knows a person with a per-

lowed citizens to apply for and ob- carry permit, in any place where a mit has been vetted by the Sheriff

tain a permit to carry a concealed weapon can be carried openly. The of his or her county of residence.

handgun. Since that time there have law would still contain prohibitors to That tells an officer a lot,” contin-

been numerous bills to expand or to concealed carry, such as conviction ued Hagler. “If this bill passes a

weaken this law, including the pro- of a felony, unlawful use of drugs, person with any of these issues still

hibiting crimes and the mentalhealth mental illness, dishonorable dis- cannot lawfully carry concealed,

requirements. Other bills over the charge from the military, misde- but it is almost impossible for an

years have sought to change the pis- meanor crimes of violence, and ado- officer to find all of this out while

tol purchase permit requirement, mestic violence protective order, but sitting on the side of a road or

modify where a person can carry a it would only be an infraction to vio- standing on a sidewalk some-

weapon, including a firearm, open or late the law. It had cleared two com- where. It’s just not workable.”

concealed, and place limits on things mittees and was headed to the House

like magazine capacity. floor for a vote when the Executive The FOP received much positive

For the most part no position is Board took action on June 6th. media coverage. President Hagler

taken because the membership can- Following the Executive Board’s was interviewed by a local TV sta-

not reach a consensus; the view of vote the State Lodge office sent out a tion in Charlotte, Sergeant-at-Arms

the membership are as varied as the Press Release explaining the FOP’s Greg Brown was interviewed in

membership itself. position and quoting President Rocky Mount and Legislative Agent

However, the Executive Board re- Randy Hagler. After a brief review Jeff Gray was interviewed in Ra-

cently took the unprecedented action of the most troublesome parts of the leigh. Numerous newspapers and

of calling an emergency meeting re- bill, the Release stated: on-line news reports quoted from our

garding House Bill 746. This bill, FOP Press Release.

entitled, “Omnibus Gun Change,” The Fraternal Order of Police, the The North Carolina FOP and the

has a number of varied provisions in- nation’s oldest law enforcement Chiefs of Police Association were

cluding allowing assistant district at- association, with over 7,600 mem- the only two law enforcement organ-

torneys to bring concealed weapons bers in North Carolina, rarely izations to speak out in opposition to

(and before being amended it said takes a position on such bills but its this bill.

“weapons” and not “firearm” or leadership says this most recent While there were some good

“handgun”) and allow legislatorsand bill goes too far. “It’s about the points in this bill which could have

their staff to bring them into the Leg- safety of the public and of offic- been supported if these points had

islative Building if they have a per- ers,” said President Randy been separate bills, the real and rela-

mit. The main portions of the bill to- Hagler, a police chief and career tive potential for detrimental effects

tally rewrites the concealed weapons officer, whose son is also a police on the safety and wellbeing of our

(including handguns) laws of the officer. Currently, you must be 21 law enforcement officers could not

State. This alone was not enough to years old and have a background be overlooked

call the Executive Board to action. It check before being issued a con-

was the threat to officer safety, and cealed handgun permit by a county

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