Not all those who have concealed weapon licenses in Athens have had their training in the county.
Only about 18 percent of citizens who hold a license to carry a concealed weapon in Athens County went through the mandatory safety training offered by the Athens County Sheriff’s Office.
The remaining 82 percent sought the required training elsewhere.
Alan Trout, chair of the Athens County Democratic Party, has a concealed carry permit himself and opted out of the sheriff’s office’s course to conduct safety training with former Sheriff David Redeker, who now teaches the safety course at Hocking College.
“I don’t think a citizen should have to go through all the courses,” he said. “They should be allowed to carry a concealed weapon.”
Trout said he has renewed his permit since, and plans to do so in the future.
The Ohio Attorney General Office’s website reported that in 2013, Athens issued 412 new concealed carry licenses and renewed 298.
In order to obtain that license in Ohio, a mandatory safety class is needed as well as an Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation background check before any license is issued.
Last year, the sheriff’s office held about five classes with an average of 15 residents per class.
Interim Sheriff Rodney Smith explained that the sheriff’s office is only one of the locations locally that provides the $75 mandatory safety training.
“Any class is approved through a certified police officer,” Smith said.
In order to obtain a license in Athens, residents must go through an extensive process, which begins with a mandatory safety class and a $65 payment for a BCI background check, which includes the price of the concealed carry weapon license.
Although the department offers the class year round, Smith said it doesn’t have a big demand.
“If we have a demand, we have a class,” Smith said.
The sheriff’s office keeps a running list of those locally who are interested in the course. Once the list reaches 10 to 12 residents, a class date and time is scheduled for those individuals.
Detective Brice Fick began teaching the department’s class right after the concealed carry law was approved back in 2004, which allowed county sheriff’s offices statewide to issue concealed carry permits to those interested who completed the required prerequisites.
Fick said that most who attend the class are in their mid-40s.
“After the CCW law was approved (the class) was popular, but has dropped off in recent years,” Fick said.
Before its current course offering, the sheriff’s office taught a National Rifle Association basic pistol course with a legal section added to assist civilians with the laws of concealed carry weapons.
Fick explained the department’s current course “is centered around safe handling of firearms,” with topics including gun safety rules, proper transportation, ammunition safety, range safety as well as legal issues.
The classroom portion is taught in various places around Athens, including the sheriff’s office conference room at 13 W. Washington St., and at Athens High School, 1 High School Rd. The range portion is held at The Hocking Valley Sportsman Association’s range facility at 5989 Radford Rd.
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