South Florida Sun-Sentinel.com
Retired law enforcement officers qualifying for national gun permits
National permit allows them to carry weapons

BY SOFIA SANTANA

South Florida Sun-Sentinel

3:24 PM EDT, July 20, 2008

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For some retired law enforcement officers, the sense of duty hasn't faded.

On Saturday morning, 40 retired officers -- many of them New York Police Department retirees -- completed a shooting course at the Markham Park gun range to qualify for a relatively new kind of concealed weapons permit that is honored nationwide.

The aim of the national program is to get the retirees to demonstrate that they can still handle a gun so that they may legally carry one almost anywhere and be ready to act if they happen upon a violent crime.

The Broward Sheriff's Office hosted the tests and has planned additional sessions at the park on Aug. 16 and Nov. 15.

Retired New York Police Office Alan Rich, 72, was among the students Saturday morning. He said he spent most of his career as a detective in Brooklyn.

"I haven't carried my gun in 31 years, since I retired," Rich said, beaming as he passed the 40-round course using his Glock 38.

The course is the same required for active law enforcement officers statewide.

Florida lawmakers in 2007 approved the course as a means to qualifying retirees for the concealed weapons permit. In 2004, Congress passed a law creating the permit and leaving it up to each state to decide how to qualify retirees, including former federal agents.

Though other local law enforcement agencies are offering the shooting course only to their retirees, the Sheriff's Office program is open to retirees from any agency as long as they live in Broward.

"It was something we felt we needed to do," said sheriff's spokesman Jim Leljedal.

Registration forms and other information about the Sheriff's Office program are available at www.sheriff.org and by calling 954-831-8900.


http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/local/bro...0,3807145.story

I thought there was some Federal law (maybe pertains to Federal Officers) to be able to carry in the U.S. bar none after retirement... but anyways hell yeah!!!

LEOSA is what you're referring to. You've got to be honorably retired, and you have to qualify annually w/ your former department. If your former LE agency wants to be dickish, they can refuse to qualify you - there are some agencies that will not give creds/qualify retirees.

Any LEOSA qualified officer can carry just about anywhere, except for the usual places (federal buildings/sterile areas of airports/etc) and they're generally exempt from individual state's restrictions for concealed carry holders.

You're almost right with LEOSA. Retirees can carry if they're qualified annually, but they don't have to qualify with their original department. They however, must qualify with A department. This is why Broward county can qualify retired NYPD guys.

That's good - from what i've read in all the LEOSA threads over at GT - even those well versed in that law said that it had to be the dept you retired from. There's lots of agencies over on the east coast that've told their retirees to fuzz off when they asked for quals... how shitty is that - you put in 20+ years and they tell you to FOAD because you wish to continue ensuring your safety.

I have my retired creds and have qualified twice with my old department since it became the law.

I also have my state of Ohio issued CCW permit which I get for free since Iam retired LEO.

In my opinion one of the best bills The president ever signed...Just my.02

The statute states you have to qualify based on the standard of your current state of residence - also true for retired federal officers (I believe that no federal agencies do annual retiree qualifications, I know mine does not...).

I live in WV currently, so I get my annual qualification certification from a WV State Poice firearms instructor, at no cost. The last time I went for qualification I met a retired NJ state LEO who had moved to WV and was getting his done that same day. It was a pretty informal process, set up over the phone and on the day of the test.

Some states are more of a problem than others. I know that in some locations, there is an application process that involves a fair amount of paperwork plus fees. I also seem to recall hearing that in Hawaii, they charge over $400 to do the annual qualification for retiree's ( - if true, a retiree's organization there should file suit for restraint of civil rights via excessive fees!).

LEOSA is a pre-emption of state & local statutes on concealed carry, with the only exceptions being those locations covered by federal statute, state/local government facilities and privately posted off-limits areas.

FWIW, I also have a WV concealed carry permit to cover any points in time when my LEOSA coverage may not be up to date (setting up a time for qualifying has to work around the instructor's work schedule, they are full time troopers as well as being instructors).

Nick

This post has been edited by nikdfish: August 10th 2008 10:32 AM

You know guys, I'm happy that they can but still think it sucks they have to do so much to just do what the second amendment was intended to guarantee every American.

I guess the argument by the left is "bear" as used in the amendment is actually referring to a furry critter that lives in the woods.

Tj

That is a good program. I wish they would come up with something like that for the military.

Pennsylvania does not have anything set up for retiree's and they don't seem to be interested in setting anything up. Information from the Gettysburg Baracks.

IF there are any retired LEO's on here from Pa. and have qualified, please let me know where?


REB

AS far as i know this is for all retired leos from ny state and you might want to call to see if they will extend a courtesy for retired members from other states i have head they did but i am not 100% sure be see link below this is the hr-218 law hope this helps .http://www.co.rockland.ny.us/Sheriff/academy/GunRange/OutsideRockland_Package.pdf

Not so, HR 218 does not preempt state requirements for CCW. It allows a qualified officer/retiree to carry accross state lines, but you still have to adhere to state law and requirements. For instance TECHNICALLY, in any place such as a mall posts a "no weapons" sign, you are not exempt. I say technically b/c it's not illegal per se, but it does not preempt state requirements.

Also, you are responsible for knowing state use of force particulars. If you are retired, you may not have the right to stand your ground and may have to "give ground" (retreat) before using your firearm.

We had this explained by our IG. So check out the full bill. I don't think it goes far enough, but it's a start.