When your Sheriff is quoted as follows it sure is nice versus living on the east coast where I moved from. I moved to Kentucky because of the gun laws and love living here. I know this article is about CCW, but it is at least a step in the right direction. BTW, Barry Laws is a great dude and runs an awesome range.
Carrying a concealed weapon is becoming more common in Oldham County.
First in a three-part series
If there was ever a reason to be nice to a stranger, this might be it: more Oldham Countians are permitted to carry concealed weapons.
Permits to carry concealed deadly weapons are rising, according to Sheriff Steve Sparrow.
Sparrow said people are looking for ways to protect themselves, their families and their homes, and many see carrying a weapon a way to do that.
“People are scared,” Sparrow said. “It’s a violent world out there.”
Numbers for 2011 show an increase of more than 20 percent in Oldham County applications with 387 filed last year.
Another 288 people renewed their license.
Sparrow said that adds up to a lot of people who could be carrying weapons with them.
Statewide, Kentucky State Police issued 19,808 permits last year and 22,283 renewals. Since 1996, KSP has issued more than 205,000 CCDW permits.
Kentucky’s CCDW law took effect in 1996 and is not as restrictive as other states.
To qualify for a license, residents must be 21-years-old and have lived in Kentucky at least six months.
But a number of conditions can disqualify applicants. Convicted felons are not eligible, nor are people who have been convicted of controlled substance violations, driving under the influence, misdemeanor assault or terroristic threatening.
Residents convicted of domestic violence-related crimes or subject to an emergency protective order are also ineligible.
Eligible residents must complete a one-day training course from a certified instructor — there are 33 in Oldham County.
After completing the class, the application is filed with the sheriff, who sends it on to state officials. There’s a $60 fee as well — $20 to Sparrow’s office, the other $40 to the Kentucky State Police.
Once the application is approved, the license is good for five years.
Barry Laws, owner of Open Range shooting sports in Crestwood, offers the certification course and other gun safety classes.
Laws said Open Range trains 60-80 people per month at its indoor facility and describes the CCDW as a “great piece of gear” to have.
The pistol safety classes are especially popular with women, he said — and a growing number of women are applying for their CCDW license, too.
Laws said women make up about 20 percent of the CCDW license classes at Open Range, and the number continues to rise.
He promotes women to the facility with ladies’ night and date night specials during the week and sells women’s-specific gear, like holsters and purse carriers.
Sparrow’s office doesn’t yet track of applications by gender.
Many people also believe the right to carry a concealed weapon is a constitutional right.
When Sparrow told members of Oldham fiscal court this year that he expected increased revenues from CCDW permit applications, Magistrate JD Sparks applauded those applying.
“I”m glad to see people exercising their second amendment rights,” he said. Sparks is also a licensed instructor.
Sparrow expects the number of CCDW applications to continue to rise because people want to feel safe.
“Why should the bad guys have guns while the good guys don’t?” he asked.
Carrying a concealed weapon is becoming more common in Oldham County.
First in a three-part series
If there was ever a reason to be nice to a stranger, this might be it: more Oldham Countians are permitted to carry concealed weapons.
Permits to carry concealed deadly weapons are rising, according to Sheriff Steve Sparrow.
Sparrow said people are looking for ways to protect themselves, their families and their homes, and many see carrying a weapon a way to do that.
“People are scared,” Sparrow said. “It’s a violent world out there.”
Numbers for 2011 show an increase of more than 20 percent in Oldham County applications with 387 filed last year.
Another 288 people renewed their license.
Sparrow said that adds up to a lot of people who could be carrying weapons with them.
Statewide, Kentucky State Police issued 19,808 permits last year and 22,283 renewals. Since 1996, KSP has issued more than 205,000 CCDW permits.
Kentucky’s CCDW law took effect in 1996 and is not as restrictive as other states.
To qualify for a license, residents must be 21-years-old and have lived in Kentucky at least six months.
But a number of conditions can disqualify applicants. Convicted felons are not eligible, nor are people who have been convicted of controlled substance violations, driving under the influence, misdemeanor assault or terroristic threatening.
Residents convicted of domestic violence-related crimes or subject to an emergency protective order are also ineligible.
Eligible residents must complete a one-day training course from a certified instructor — there are 33 in Oldham County.
After completing the class, the application is filed with the sheriff, who sends it on to state officials. There’s a $60 fee as well — $20 to Sparrow’s office, the other $40 to the Kentucky State Police.
Once the application is approved, the license is good for five years.
Barry Laws, owner of Open Range shooting sports in Crestwood, offers the certification course and other gun safety classes.
Laws said Open Range trains 60-80 people per month at its indoor facility and describes the CCDW as a “great piece of gear” to have.
The pistol safety classes are especially popular with women, he said — and a growing number of women are applying for their CCDW license, too.
Laws said women make up about 20 percent of the CCDW license classes at Open Range, and the number continues to rise.
He promotes women to the facility with ladies’ night and date night specials during the week and sells women’s-specific gear, like holsters and purse carriers.
Sparrow’s office doesn’t yet track of applications by gender.
Many people also believe the right to carry a concealed weapon is a constitutional right.
When Sparrow told members of Oldham fiscal court this year that he expected increased revenues from CCDW permit applications, Magistrate JD Sparks applauded those applying.
“I”m glad to see people exercising their second amendment rights,” he said. Sparks is also a licensed instructor.
Sparrow expects the number of CCDW applications to continue to rise because people want to feel safe.
“Why should the bad guys have guns while the good guys don’t?” he asked.
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