Utah's Concealed Firearms Law

The other day I saw the daily "Bobcast" of Bob Lonsberry about how he is packing heat. And he means carrying a gun. Mr. Lonsberry is a morning talk show host on AM 570KNRS. I like the show, his daily column and the video column otherwise known as the Bobcast. On the days that the two of us are both working, I listen. Mr. Lonsberry is a pretty funny guy with a dry sense of humor. He can also be dead serious, passionate, compassionate and a guy who can make you think. He is also very conservative, patriotic and a strong supporter of the police. I admire those qualities in a person.

Bob admits in the video that he carries a pistol almost everywhere. I'm quite sure he has a permit to do so as is required by state statute. I have heard Bob mention on several occasions of his membership in the NRA as well. So I bet he has a pretty good knowledge of his guns and is at the very least a pretty decent shot. But I bet that not everyone that has a permit possesses theses same qualities.

You see, where I have a problem with the law is that a live fire exercise is not required. It's not even mentioned in the law. All the law says a person needs to have is a "general familiarity" with the safe loading, unloading and storage of the type of firearm to be concealed and the current laws pertaining to self defense with a firearm by a private citizen. So to me that means if you can put the bullets in and take them out without putting a hole in something that didn't have one before, you're half way home. The second half is to know that you can only shoot someone if your life or that of someone else's is in imminent threat of death or serious bodily injury. That's it. No need to show that you can actually shoot your gun with a modicum of proficiency.

This is not enough. It's one thing to take your favorite pistol out to the west desert and shoot up some soda cans or a cactus or pictures of your ex-wife, or even pictures of my ex-wife, and completely another to carry that same pistol into the grocery store or when picking up the kids from school or having to display it in a situation where it is warranted without the proper training. Live fire exercises must be made mandatory. Period.

The legislature should come up with a hard date and make everyone who is applying for a permit for the first time and everyone that now holds a permit, when they renew, to pass a live fire exercise. I think that I'll write my local congressman and suggest that.

Yes, I'm a police officer. Yes, I am a firearms instructor in my department. Yes, I have been under scrutiny from the DA's office after having been involved in a situation where a man lost his life after being shot by an officer. I was not the one who fired, but was right in the middle of things and I can say that the shooting was justified by self defense.

Now remember, those of us that were there that night have had a lot of state approved training between us and I was also a member of the military in the early 80's. I'm not sure of the others, but I have been handling firearms since I was five years old when I started hunting with my father and grandfather. Even so the stress afterwards was almost intolerable. A person who shoots another and kills him is looked at as a possible homicide suspect until the investigation shows otherwise. I'm okay with that. To do differently would not be prudent.

Imagine if it's Joe Citizen that has been through the state concealed carry class, gets the permit, but because they didn't have to show proficiency, isn't and then gets involved in a shooting. What do you think the scrutiny level would be then? I would guess it would be great.

We all are taught that behind every bullet down range a lawyer is standing behind it. If you think you wont be sued afterwards, you are living in a fantasy world. It's more than likely coming shortly after the dust settles. I think that if a person is better trained and can articulate well why the action taken was necessary, then the better off they will be.

Don't get me wrong, I don't think that everyone should have to get as much training as I did in the academy or as I do now, but they need some and should have to continue to show proficiency at least once a year. After all, some folks take their guns everywhere.

And I take two with me to work every day.