Christmas Gun Instruction
Yesterday, the Rapides Parish Sheriff’s Office of Rapides Parish Louisiana offered a free course in basic firearms safety
to anyone who received a firearm for Christmas. Chester “Bud” Carpenter, hunter education youth coordinator for the Sheriff’s Office, said the course was something he had long considered. "I thought it would be a good program. It’s just the basics, how to load, how to unload it and how to store it safely in the home," he said. The course also included supervised range time.
Only 20 people had shown up by 9:30AM, but people continued to filter in throughout the day. They were not turned away. More here.
Sometimes I'm just damned proud of Louisiana. I think I will initiate a similar program at the range I frequent.
to anyone who received a firearm for Christmas. Chester “Bud” Carpenter, hunter education youth coordinator for the Sheriff’s Office, said the course was something he had long considered. "I thought it would be a good program. It’s just the basics, how to load, how to unload it and how to store it safely in the home," he said. The course also included supervised range time. Only 20 people had shown up by 9:30AM, but people continued to filter in throughout the day. They were not turned away. More here.
Sometimes I'm just damned proud of Louisiana. I think I will initiate a similar program at the range I frequent.
Labels: Louisiana
posted by Xavier at 11:26 AM
9 Comments:
xavier, i've related to you before that one of the primary reasons for dropping my ffl after nearly thirty years was concern for liability...this litigious society makes the prospect of a devastating lawsuit all too real, regardless of justification or outcome.
licensed status makes for an easy target of predatory lawyers for manufacturers, dealers, reloaders and 'smiths...and in fla at least, even individuals offering services for free have been successfully sued if they present themselves as authorities to the public.
it is my impression that law enforcement representatives performing a public service have an exemption from this kind of despicable legal action...so if you do pursue such a noble and worthwhile effort, it might be a good idea to partner with or operate under the auspices of your local leo; or at the least obtain a hold-harmless document from participants along the lines of your excellent private-party firearms purchase/sale receipt.
jtc
Heck, as a member of the "Gun Totin' Hebes" tribe, I'd even offer it on Christmas! :)
Yes, I agree jtc.
If I did initiate this, it would be through a suggestion to one of the sheriff's ranges that I frequent. The program could be activated by the Sheriff.
Chances are, with Rapides taking the lead, several other parishes in Louisiana would follow suit.
Well, congratulations to the Sheriff's office! Now THAT's an office being proactive in service to a community. It didn't cost them a fortune to do that and they may have saved several lives in the process.
Very impressive.
That is very cool! It's an idea that should spread.
Back in 2002, East Baton Rouge Parish was being terrorized by a sick serial rapist/murderer that followed his victims to their homes, kidnapped them, then raped and brutally murdered them. Their bodies would turn up in regional waterways days to weeks after they disappeared.
His name is Derrick Todd Lee, and they finally caught him through DNA sampling, but not before about seven women disappeared. Sadly, several of his suspected victims them have never been found.
He has been convicted in two of the cases, and more trials are pending. We can only hope justice is truly served, and it doesn't take 15 years to initiate the death penalty in his case.
At the time, women were so paranoid, you could not even smile at one while standing in line in stores--many were so fearful, they shook when you spoke to them.
I was also proud of the coalition that came about between local gun distributors and the Sheriff's Offices of EBR and Ascension Parishes. They sponsored a gun safety and familiarization day which consisted of about two hours in the classroom with lectures on guns and safety, and a shooting experience on the ASO range where they got to fire a few rounds and discover what it was really like to shoot a gun.
Local instructors, members of the local grassroots NRA club, and police firearms instructors (myself included) from both agencies turned out in such force, some women had TWO instructors on their shooting stations instead of one.
The event was in so much demand, a second event was scheduled and held a few weeks later, with another huge turnout.
I was very proud of the gun community and the local SO's for sponsoring this--and in spite of the affect of the serial killer at the time, I think it would prove to be another great public relations event for the gun community. In fact, you've inspired me to try to get something similar set up again.
Thanks for sharing.
Devil's advocate here...Is local LE in LA providing this "service" in order to compile a list of gun owners? How much info did the participates have to devulge when taking the course? After what residents went through with Katrina, I'd be very wary...
All very interesting stuff. Mr. Hutchinson are there really more trials pending for Derrick Todd Lee? I wasn't aware of this. I thought he was on death row and that was that. I'm hoping for some justice for more families.
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