EXCLUSIVE: Must credit www.OhioCCW.org

For the past two weeks, OFCC has been following an exclusive report that, due to Senate amendments to HB12 dealing with how one should carry a firearm, law enforcement agencies in Ohio are not in agreement on Am. Sub. HB12.

Last week, we reported that the Ohio Fraternal Order of Police (FOP) had accepted the Buckeye State Sheriff Association's (BSSA) invitation to a law enforcement summit meeting.

We are now pleased to report that the Ohio State Highway Patrol (OSHP) has accepted the invitation as well. The three law enforcement groups will meet on September 25.

The purpose this LEO Summit is to get the major law enforcement agencies in agreement on this important issue.

The communications director for the Ohio Senate Republican Caucus, Maggie Mitchell, told has previously told OFCC that Senate President White "supports any efforts that will get us a viable bill."

As previously reported, both the BSSA and FOP believe that making someone repeatedly handle, holster and unholster a loaded firearm is unsafe. These unsafe practices would be mandated as a result of Taft-sponsored Senate amendments.

The Ohio State Highway Patrol stands alone as the only law enforcement agency in Ohio that has endorsed this dangerous practice.

The OSHP's stated goal is to "enforce the traffic laws and promote safety on the highways". Since Ohio's major law enforcement agencies' critical safety concerns specifically deal with the language the OSHP demanded the Senate insert, will the OSHP bureaucrats see the error of their ways, and listen to what Ohio's major law enforcement groups are telling them is unsafe? Or will it continue to carry Bob Taft's water?

Your continued voice of opinion to the OSHP, Taft, and your Senator may just make the difference.

To express your own expectations to the OSHP (politely please!) as a taxpayer, call 1-877-7-PATROL. Emailing your thoughts to the Ohio Patrol Superintendent Col. Paul D. McClellan will only get you back a rhetoric-filled form letter. Finally, some may wish to to download an official OHP complaint form (.pdf file), which can be used to register an official complaint against troopers like Capt. John Born, who are putting lives at risk by telling persons that when attacked in their cars, they should just "drive off."

Related Stories:
Ohio's major law enforcement agencies calling OSHP to the table

OFCC learns of behind-the-scenes progress on HB12

TONY GORDON DIED TRYING TO FOLLOW OSHP CAPT. JOHN BORN'S ADVICE

Tony Gordon wasn't the first, nor will he be the last

Letter from Patrol Superintendent regarding concealed weapon legislation

The evidence OSHP Superintendant Paul McClellan can't find

Reality Check for the Ohio Highway Patrol: Don't Get ''Borned''

September 10, 2003
Newark Advocate

Here is another reason a large group of Ohio citizens are fed up with Taft. The Ohio Legislature has not passed a realistic concealed-carry law. How many more people will be robbed, raped, physically battered, stabbed, shot or even killed simply because they were law-abiding citizens of Ohio? The passage of HB12 would have been the answer in assisting in the prevention of some of these atrocities.

It appears to me that Governor Taft is knuckling under to the pressure of the Ohio Highway Patrol with its demands of how and where to carry a concealed weapon. These people are servants of the public -- not lawmakers but law enforcers. The patrol wants those people who would have a concealed-carry permit to be forced to have their weapon locked up when children under the age of 18 are in the vehicle. But if there are people in a vehicle over the age of 18, it would be permissible to have a loaded weapon in plain, open sight or holstered in open sight.

Now to me here comes the question: Are the children's lives less important than adults? Apparently some of our higher office-holding elected officials think so. In my opinion, this would lead to profiling of victims.

The social predators of today would gladly prefer to attack an automobile with children in it because they would know that because the driver would be a law-abiding citizen, the weapon would be locked up and the driver would be defenseless.

Rick Jones
Sciotoville

Rick Jones is the OFCC PAC Senate District 14 coordinator, which is represented by Senate President Doug White. If you live in Senator White's district, please contact Rick at rjones@ofcc.net and find out how you can help!

Click here to read the letter in the Newark Advocate.

Letter writers began copying us on advice they've sent to Ohio State Highway Patrol Superintendant Paul McClellan immediately following our first report that the Buckeye State Sheriffs Association and Ohio Fraternal Order of Police were calling for a meeting with the OSHP to address the unsafe language which the patrol bureaucracy is endorsing in HB12.

They've all been excellent, well-thought out, polite and proper letters. The following, from a student writing for his Composition II course at Owens College, gets an "A+" from the all-volunteer 'professors' at OFCC PAC.

September 9, 2003

Dear Col. McClellan,

I am writing this email to inform you as to my opinion regarding the current debate concerning concealed carry in Ohio. I have attached a copy of a research paper I wrote last year for a composition class.

As a citizen and taxpayer of Ohio I am concerned with my safety and the
safety of my fellow citizens, including your troopers. I have reservations regarding the OSP's stance regarding the stipulations as to when a law-abiding citizen may be permitted to protect themselves. As I
am certain you are aware, criminals often tend to pick their targets based on the threat level to themselves. This is one reason why those "gun free safety zones" are anything but safe. And this is just one more reason why law-abiding citizens must be free to protect themselves, inside a car or otherwise. It is not always possible for a driver to "just drive away" when confronted by a violent individual.

I hope you find my report insightful and educational. I have included all references for your convenience. Any comments, pro or con, would be appreciated.

Thank you for your attention to this correspondence.

Sincerely,

Jay Newland
Bascom, OH

Click on the "Read More..." link below to read Newland's research paper.

Click here to read the rhetoric-filled form letter Senate President Doug White (and nearly everyone else who contacts the OSHP about HB12) received in response.