Handgun Carry Permit Training in Minnesota Resumes but Concerns Persist

May 25, 2005 -- "You know what they say: 'avoid the rush,'" Joel Rosenberg says, with a smile. Rosenberg is a certified firearms instructor, and trains people who want to get a Minnesota handgun carry permit and carry permits valid in thirty more states, as well.

"It's a bit late for that -- but not too late," he adds. "It'll be fine."

In May of 2003, when the Personal Protection Act first went into effect, there was a flood of carry permit training, as it was the first opportunity for most people in Minnesota who had wanted to get handgun carry permits for personal safety or business reasons to do so.

But there were some initial problems, he remembers.

"For one thing, classes quickly filled up. For another, most of the sheriffs weren't prepared for the initial flurry of applications, and -- not having had experience with modern, mainstream, commonsense, 'shall issue' carry laws -- many of them were understandably nervous about it.

"But the flurry ended after a couple of months, and spaces in classes became much easier to find."

Eventually, things settled down to a small but steady stream of applicants.

With the new flood of applications starting this week, after Governor Tim Pawlenty signs the re-passage of the Personal Protection Act into law, he thinks that there'll be some of the same sorts of problems seen in 2003.

"But not nearly as bad. The sheriffs now know how to process applications, and issue permits, and they'll just go back to doing it -- and making quite a profit on it, as it costs them about $14 to process an application that they get paid $100 for."

Still, Rosenberg thinks that there are some things that a Minnesotan who is looking to get a carry permit should do.

"Some things haven't changed," he says, "I think my essay at

http://www.ellegon.com/features/data/wheretogettraining/ stands up quite well, particularly in terms of beginners. And, of course, I've been working hard to keep the Twin Cities Carry Course -- see http://www.ellegon.com/faq/ -- up to date (although I haven't had to update the FAQ; it still stands up, even after almost two years). In fact, I just updated the PowerPoint for my class last week, for something like the sixty-third time.

"And, of course, I'm not the only choice for training. I think that Roger and Sue do a great job at BPR, and ditto for Joe Penaz, and they're not the only ones.

"My suggestion is that folks who want to get their carry permits simply take their training over the next few weeks, and immediately apply for their permits, after that."

Why

He shakes his head and smiles ruefully. "Well, remember what happened last time: David Lillehaug filed that silly lawsuit, and a tame judge ruled the way it was passed -- not the content of the law, but the method used to pass it -- was unconstitutional. Having Lillehaug and his merry band around feels sort of like hanging around with Frodo, in Lord of the Rings -- you never know when Gollum is going to pop up, or what he's going to do. (That said, I do want to be fair to Mr. Lillehaug: he dresses very nicely, and has great hair.)

"Last time, many of the folks who put off their training regretted it. Those of us who had gotten our permits were grandfathered in, while the legislature straightened things out -- but a lot of folks were left waiting.

"I think it's time to stop waiting. That's why I've got my next class this weekend."

His own class schedule is always available at http://www.twincitiescarry.com and his website is always at or near the top of Google searches for issues around carry permit training.

"I guess," he says, "that's because I try to keep up to date, more than because I'm the only instructor in Minnesota with full combination of Instructor and Certifier endorsements from AACFI, Personal Protection, Home Firearms Safety and Pistol from the NRA, and validation as a carry permit instructor from the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal apprehension.

"I hope that's the case; I think the content is more important than the 'merit badges.' Plus, I do keep adding states that my students can apply for permits in -- without having to leave Minnesota -- and most other instructors are behind the curve on that."

Joel Rosenberg, author of Everything Yuu Need to Know About (Legally) Carrying a Handgun in Missouri and Everything You Need to Know About (Legally) Carrying a Handgun in Minnesota, has now upgraded his Twin Cities Carry Course to enable his students to be able to get carry permits valid in more than thirty states -- more than any other instructor in the state of Minnesota.

Rosenberg is certified by the National Rifle Association as an instructor in Pistol, Home Firearms Safety, and Personal Protection, and by the American Association of Certified Firearms Instructors as a Carry Permit Instructor and Carry Permit Certifying Instructor, and has been validated by the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension as a Minnesota Carry Permit Instructor, making him the only instructor in the state of Minnesota with that extensive list of qualifications. He's also been certified by the NRA as a Certified Range Officer (CRO).

In addition to his work as a firearms instructor, Rosenberg is a best-selling author, with more than twenty published novels to his credit, including eight in the bestselling Guardians of the Flame Fantasy series; Home Front and Family Matters, two murder mysteries, and Paladins, published by Baen Books in September 2004.

He's writes frequently on issues around carry permit training issues, and maintains an online journal on the subject at http://www.joel-rosenberg.com in addition to his carry permit website at http://www.twincitiescarry.com.

Rosenberg is available to reporters for comments on this press release, and issues around carry permits in Minnesota more generally.

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