Police Officer: Concealed carry provides protection
Date: Dec 10, 2005 10:03 PM
FYI Wisconsin is now fretting over whether to become a “shall issue”
state with regards to Concealed Carry of handguns. Here is an excellent
letter to the editor, from a police officer.

http://badgerherald.com/oped/2005/12/09/concealed_carry_prov.php

Concealed carry provides protection

Letters to the Editor Friday, December 9, 2005

I grew up in Wisconsin. I am a University of Wisconsin alum, and many of
my friends and family live in Madison. I am currently a police officer
in South Dakota.

As a police officer, I may legally carry a concealed weapon when I visit
my family in Madison. This is a right that should not only be afforded
to police officers like myself, but all law-abiding citizens who choose
to take on the extra responsibility to keep their families and their
communities safe.

In my professional experience in South Dakota, a ?shall-issue?
concealed-carry state where permits are issued to anyone who can pass a
background check, I have never had ? nor heard of ? any problems with a
person legally carrying a concealed pistol. However, I do know of
several instances where a legally possessed firearm has saved innocent
lives during the commission of a violent crime.

Concealed-carry permit holders act as first responders, as do many
ordinary citizens who know CPR, first aid or how to use a fire
extinguisher. Their actions are often the difference between life and
death. The same holds true for concealed-carry permit holders.

As police, we simply cannot be everywhere ? nor would the public want us
to be. When most violent criminal acts, including shootings, robberies,
rampages and rape, are over within minutes ? if not seconds ? the
response time of police is simply not fast enough. The training
individuals will receive to obtain a concealed-weapons permit under the
PPA will make them qualified first responders. Like those certified in
first aid, we won?t expect them to perform major surgery. But it will be
adequate for stabilizing a bad situation until professionals arrive.

Those who oppose this law will try to claim that there will be
gunfights, people will look for fights and ?blood will run in the
streets.? In my professional experience, and after significant research
I?ve completed on concealed-carry laws in other states, this is simply
not true. In fact, I have not been able to find a single state that has
legalized concealed carry in the last 50 years and has turned around and
re-criminalized it. In fact, I have found concealed-carry permit holders
in most states are far less likely to be involved in criminal activity
than other citizens.

I do not believe I deserve special rights because I am a law enforcement
officer. I am, and will always be, a citizen first. I believe there are
many good members of our communities who are willing to take on extra
responsibilities to keep their communities safe and to serve as first
responders to stabilize dangerous situations. If they want to step up
and be prepared to do their part if it is ever needed, as a police
officer, I am thankful for their help.

Adrian Alan is a University of Wisconsin alumnus and municipal patrol
officer in South Dakota.