May 14, 2004
Toledo Blade

Paperwork delaying approval of permits

Five weeks after Ohio gave its residents the right to carry concealed weapons, Lucas County residents are still waiting for their permits.

More than 350 have applied for their permits in Lucas County but still await their cards because the paperwork process is so time-consuming, according to sheriff's Lt. Greg Wojciechowski.

"We're taking between 25 and 30 a day," Lieutenant Wojciechowski said, referring to the number of applications. Before a wallet-size card is issued, the sheriff's office must conduct background checks of applicants. And if they lived in five different counties previously, for example, the sheriff's office must run a background check with local courts, law enforcement, and the probate court in each of those jurisdictions.

For some applicants, that means a dozen or more letters requesting background checks, the lieutenant said. Last week, a list of 80 names were sent to Lucas County Common Pleas Court to make sure the applicants had no history of mental illness, Lieutenant Wojciechowski said.

"We haven't received anything yet," he said. "The first card will be issued as soon as we get back the data."

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May 13, 2004
Toledo Blade

I read with amusement Toby Hoover's hand-wringing lament in Readers' Forum on Ohio's new concealed-carry law. A culture of fear? You bet. But she's focused on the wrong group of people. The "fearful" ones are now the perpetrators and criminals who reside in this state. They now know that they are very likely to make a serious and perhaps terminal mistake in their victim selection process.

They are at a distinct disadvantage now because they will not know which law-abiding citizen is armed and able to protect himself or herself from attack. Except, of course, for liberals like Ms. Hoover, who make the mistake of publicly declaring their willingness to become victims.

Arlan Tussing
Penn Road

Related Story:
Letters to Toby...