My wife and I both have CHP's, and we are currently enrolled in our County Sheriff's "Citizen's Academy" program. It's been a fantastic program, and I even got to go into their VirTra simulator and play out an armed robbery scenario. It was fantastic, and very valuable training.
One of last night's presentations was the CHP licensing procedure. At least half of the class already has their CHP, so this was a very popular topic. The presentation was given by the sworn deputy who is in charge of the CHP process. Everything was going great up to the point that a CHP does NOT authorize the carrying of any other weapon, except ONE concealed handgun. Immediately, the question was asked about carrying a "backup" handgun, and he emphatically repeated that a CHP allows the holder to carry ONE, and ONLY ONE concealed handgun. Several people admitted that they carry a semi-automatic pistol as a primary" weapon, and a revolver as a "backup." I brought up scenarios where my wife and I were in a department store, and for whatever reason, she didn't want to carry her weapon into a changing room to try on clothes, would discreetly hand me her holstered handgun for me to hold for her. I would slip it into my pocket, and was then carrying TWO concealed handguns. Or, the guy I work with, who also has his CHP, stops at the Post Office to check his mail. Knowing he can't carry in the P.O., he hands me his gun and says, "Watch this for me." Now, I have TWO handguns within my access, plus the OTHER one I know he has concealed elsewhere in his truck. The deputy kept repeating, that a CHP allows the holder to carry ONE, and ONLY ONE concealed handgun. One person asked if there was a statute that specified the number of handguns a CHP holder could conceal on his person. He said there was, and he would look it up and make copies for us. The rest of his presentation was without challenge, and we went on to the second presentation of the evening, "Emergency Preparedness."
As we were finishing up for the evening, the director of the Academy program had copies of the statute given to him by the earlier presenter. It was a copy of GS_14-415.11. It reads in part:
§ 14‑415.11. Permit to carry concealed handgun; scope of permit.
(a) Any person who has a concealed handgun permit may carry a concealed handgun unless otherwise specifically prohibited by law. The person shall carry the permit together with valid identification whenever the person is carrying a concealed handgun, shall disclose to any law enforcement officer that the person holds a valid permit and is carrying a concealed handgun when approached or addressed by the officer, and shall display both the permit and the proper identification upon the request of a law enforcement officer. In addition to these requirements, a military permittee whose permit has expired during deployment may carry a concealed handgun during the 90 days following the end of deployment and before the permit is renewed provided the permittee also displays proof of deployment to any law enforcement officer.
Those two "a's" were specifically underlined. They are interpreting "a concealed handgun" as meaning one and only one handgun. Since we were finished for the evening, and the presenting officer was no longer present in the room, there was no further discussion on the matter. In my opinion, the word "a" in this context does NOT limit the number of handguns a person may carry concealed to ONE and ONLY ONE. There is NOTHING in the statute that even mentions the number of handguns a permit holder may legally conceal. Obviously, his opinion is different.
I feel that I am not allowed to "break" a law based upon my personal interpretation of it, nor can he "enforce" it based on his. Last night I emailed the NC Attorney General's office for clarification on this statute. Either way, I will advise this deputy as to the AG's reply.
What say you guys?
One of last night's presentations was the CHP licensing procedure. At least half of the class already has their CHP, so this was a very popular topic. The presentation was given by the sworn deputy who is in charge of the CHP process. Everything was going great up to the point that a CHP does NOT authorize the carrying of any other weapon, except ONE concealed handgun. Immediately, the question was asked about carrying a "backup" handgun, and he emphatically repeated that a CHP allows the holder to carry ONE, and ONLY ONE concealed handgun. Several people admitted that they carry a semi-automatic pistol as a primary" weapon, and a revolver as a "backup." I brought up scenarios where my wife and I were in a department store, and for whatever reason, she didn't want to carry her weapon into a changing room to try on clothes, would discreetly hand me her holstered handgun for me to hold for her. I would slip it into my pocket, and was then carrying TWO concealed handguns. Or, the guy I work with, who also has his CHP, stops at the Post Office to check his mail. Knowing he can't carry in the P.O., he hands me his gun and says, "Watch this for me." Now, I have TWO handguns within my access, plus the OTHER one I know he has concealed elsewhere in his truck. The deputy kept repeating, that a CHP allows the holder to carry ONE, and ONLY ONE concealed handgun. One person asked if there was a statute that specified the number of handguns a CHP holder could conceal on his person. He said there was, and he would look it up and make copies for us. The rest of his presentation was without challenge, and we went on to the second presentation of the evening, "Emergency Preparedness."
As we were finishing up for the evening, the director of the Academy program had copies of the statute given to him by the earlier presenter. It was a copy of GS_14-415.11. It reads in part:
§ 14‑415.11. Permit to carry concealed handgun; scope of permit.
(a) Any person who has a concealed handgun permit may carry a concealed handgun unless otherwise specifically prohibited by law. The person shall carry the permit together with valid identification whenever the person is carrying a concealed handgun, shall disclose to any law enforcement officer that the person holds a valid permit and is carrying a concealed handgun when approached or addressed by the officer, and shall display both the permit and the proper identification upon the request of a law enforcement officer. In addition to these requirements, a military permittee whose permit has expired during deployment may carry a concealed handgun during the 90 days following the end of deployment and before the permit is renewed provided the permittee also displays proof of deployment to any law enforcement officer.
Those two "a's" were specifically underlined. They are interpreting "a concealed handgun" as meaning one and only one handgun. Since we were finished for the evening, and the presenting officer was no longer present in the room, there was no further discussion on the matter. In my opinion, the word "a" in this context does NOT limit the number of handguns a person may carry concealed to ONE and ONLY ONE. There is NOTHING in the statute that even mentions the number of handguns a permit holder may legally conceal. Obviously, his opinion is different.
I feel that I am not allowed to "break" a law based upon my personal interpretation of it, nor can he "enforce" it based on his. Last night I emailed the NC Attorney General's office for clarification on this statute. Either way, I will advise this deputy as to the AG's reply.
What say you guys?