Concealed carry permits soar
The reasons are debatable.
Sunday, February 28, 2010
(Cleveland) – Ohio Attorney General Richard Cordray announced that Ohio's county sheriffs issued a record number of concealed handgun licenses last year.
In 2009 the total number of handgun licenses issued to Ohioans was 56,691, well above the previous high of 45,497 set in 2004 when the concealed handgun law first went into effect.
"If there's something to take away from these numbers, it is that more and more Ohioans are comfortable exercising their right to carry concealed handguns," said Cordray.
"We are pleased that we have a strong partnership with the county sheriffs who issue concealed handgun licenses, and we will continue to work together to help eligible Ohioans take advantage of this law."
The number of licenses issued each year since Ohio's concealed carry law went into effect in April 2004 is as follows:
2004: 45,497
2005: 22,487
2006: 18,781
2007: 22,103
2008: 33,864
2009: 56,691
The attorney general's office compiles a summary report about the number of licenses issued each year based upon data provided by county sheriffs as required by law.
Each sheriff must report concealed handgun license statistics quarterly to the Ohio peace officer training commission of the state attorney general's office.
Some blame high unemployment for the rise. "As the economy goes down crime goes up and people are arming themselves for the first time," claims Linda Walker, central Ohio chair of the Buckeye Firearms Association. "People are scared and we definitely have a different government than we have 10-to-20 years ago."
But supporters of gun-control say there's a different force at play: contending the National Rifle Association and other pro-gun organizations have embarked on an extensive fear campaign.
"The gun lobby has gone on an all-out crusade to make everybody feel afraid that the president is going to take away all of their guns," said Ohio Coalition Against Gun Violence spokesperson Tobey Hoover.
"Even if you add up all of these numbers from all of these years, it's still less than two percent of the entire adult population (in Ohio)."
(Copyright 2010 Clear Channel, all rights reserved.)
In 2009 the total number of handgun licenses issued to Ohioans was 56,691, well above the previous high of 45,497 set in 2004 when the concealed handgun law first went into effect.
"If there's something to take away from these numbers, it is that more and more Ohioans are comfortable exercising their right to carry concealed handguns," said Cordray.
"We are pleased that we have a strong partnership with the county sheriffs who issue concealed handgun licenses, and we will continue to work together to help eligible Ohioans take advantage of this law."
The number of licenses issued each year since Ohio's concealed carry law went into effect in April 2004 is as follows:
2004: 45,497
2005: 22,487
2006: 18,781
2007: 22,103
2008: 33,864
2009: 56,691
The attorney general's office compiles a summary report about the number of licenses issued each year based upon data provided by county sheriffs as required by law.
Each sheriff must report concealed handgun license statistics quarterly to the Ohio peace officer training commission of the state attorney general's office.
Some blame high unemployment for the rise. "As the economy goes down crime goes up and people are arming themselves for the first time," claims Linda Walker, central Ohio chair of the Buckeye Firearms Association. "People are scared and we definitely have a different government than we have 10-to-20 years ago."
But supporters of gun-control say there's a different force at play: contending the National Rifle Association and other pro-gun organizations have embarked on an extensive fear campaign.
"The gun lobby has gone on an all-out crusade to make everybody feel afraid that the president is going to take away all of their guns," said Ohio Coalition Against Gun Violence spokesperson Tobey Hoover.
"Even if you add up all of these numbers from all of these years, it's still less than two percent of the entire adult population (in Ohio)."
(Copyright 2010 Clear Channel, all rights reserved.)
© 2010
