Monroe County Concealed Weapons Licensing Board meeting 9/16/2010
Since I put in my application for a CPL 2 weeks ago and I know that the board will be calling me for a misdemeanor from 1981, so I decided to sit in on today’s meeting to get an idea on how they handle the process and what questions they might ask.
I though I would be the only one there, but was surprised to see about 5 other people there. When the meeting started we were all asked to give our names for the record. Those 5 were there because the board had some questions for them on past convictions.
I was surprised that 2 of the 5 had felonies, 1 drug and 1 for armed robbery and still tried to get a CPL, I would have thought that would have been a NO BRAINER and they would not have wasted their money! They of course were turned down. One had a class 4-child abuse conviction and was ineligible for 8 years from 2007 according to the board. Second to last was a guy that had a conviction on 2 counts for drugs in 1982, but all the board could bring up on his record was one misdemeanor, they requested he go to the city clerk and see if they could find his trial record, and they would table the application till he returned. 30 minutes he returned and the board said the second charge was a felony and thus he was not eligible for a CPL
They last guy was there to get his CPL reinstated. At this time he had a valid CPL. According to his testimony, in April 2008 he was visiting Block Buster Video in Monroe and when he parked he removed his gun from his holster and placed in the back seat of his car, while he returned some videos. He was aware the video store had been robbed 2 days earlier and thought that the store workers might be a little on edge and did not want to take his gun in as he thought it might make the workers feel uncomfortable.
He entered the store with only his holster on, did his business and upon his return to his car, a woman next to him watch him as he entered his car, reach behind the seat, and put his gun back into his holster.
She called 911 and reported a MWAG. Monroe City Police arrived to investigate. No charges were brought; he was returned his gun on the spot.
The weapons board upon notice of the LEO contact suspended his license. He went before the board a month later and got it reinstated. They never said why they suspended it to begin with, but did mention being concerned about “public safety”, but made it sound like if you have a LEO contact about a MWAG here in Monroe your CPL will be suspended even you were legal.
Unfortunately for him he had received a charge of having prescription medicine in a bottle without a prescription label a few months ago and is now on 6 months probation and got his CPL suspended a 2nd time. They entertained a motion to table his reversal of suspension until April/May 2011 and seemed more concerned about the LEO contact then his drug charge. They ended his testimony with the MSP reprehensive chastising him about cleaning up his act and basically you are whom you hang with.
I guess what concerns me is that without provocation, they suspended his CPL because some uninformed citizen called. I would have thought the matter was over when the city cop gave the guy his gun back and let him go on his way without a ticket or charges ever being brought against him.
