CountySheriffsofColoradoPositionPaperonPossibleGunControlLegislation TheSecondAmendmentisnotaguidelinebutratheraright. Recently,ourcountryhasfacedtwohorrificmassmurdersattheCenturyTheatrein Aurora,Colorado,andSandyHookElementarySchoolinNewtown,Connecticut.Inthe wakeofthesetragedies,itisunderstandablethatbothColoradoandtherestofthenation searchforreasonswhy.Withthiscomesarenewedinterestinpublicsafetyissues.Aslaw enforcementprofessionalsandelectedofficials,the62CountySheriffsofColorado welcomethisdialogue.However,wedonotbelievethatthesetragediesshouldbeusedas thebackdroptoadvanceguncontrollegislation. TheCountySheriffsofColorado(CSOC)representColoradoselectedSheriffs.Weproudly servethroughthegraciouswillofvoterswhoelectustobethechieflawenforcement officialsforourrespectivecounties,derivingourauthorityfromtheColoradoConstitution. Statestatutegrantscountysheriffsadditionalresponsibilitiessuchasissuingconcealed weaponspermits.

. CSOCiscommittedtopublicsafetyandfaithfultoouroathtoupholdandprotectthe ConstitutionoftheStateofColoradoandtheUnitedStatesConstitutionincludingthe SecondAmendment. ItwasinthisspiritofcommitmenttoColoradoresidentsandourConstitutionthatthe CountySheriffsofColoradovotedattheJanuarymeetinginLarimerCountytooppose suggestedstatelegislationthatmaylimitSecondAmendmentrights.Itisimportanttonote thatthislegislationsimplyisbeingsuggestedatthismoment. SecondAmendmenttotheUnitedStateConstitution CountySheriffsofColoradobelieveintheSecondAmendmentoftheUnitedStates Constitutionthatguaranteestherightofthepeopletokeepandbeararmsandthatthis rightshallnotbeinfringed.Asourstateandcountrycontinuetodiscussanddebategun controllegislation,thepositionofourfoundersremainsclear.CSOCwillnotwaiveronour defenseoftheConstitutionandwillstandtopreserveeveryconstituentsrighttopossessa firearm.WebelievetheSecondAmendmentisnolessimportantastheothernine AmendmentscontainedintheBillofRights. Also,guncontroldoesnotequatetolowercrimerates,whichisreallywhatwestrivefor. WashingtonD.C.andChicago,twocitiesknownfortheirstrictguncontrollaws,havesome ofthehighestratesofviolentcrime.InfactinChicagos2012homiciderateincreased16 percentovertheprioryearaccordingtotheNewYorkTimes. StatisticsfromChicagoandtragedieslikeAuroraandSandyHookleavemanyofusshell shockedwithanimpressionofagunviolenceepidemic,SecondAmendmentexpertDavid KopelnotedinaWallStreetJournalarticle,thetotalU.S.homicideratehasfallenbyover

halfsince1980,andthegunhomicideratehasfallenalongwithit.Today,Americansare saferfromviolentcrime,includinggunhomicide,thantheyhavebeenatanytimesincethe mid1960s. TheCountySheriffsofColoradoknowfirsthandthatstrictguncontrollawsdonotdeter criminalsfromgettingfirearmsillegallyandcommittingcrimes.Rather,theyhurtlaw abidingcitizenswhomaybeleftunprotectedbecauselawenforcementcannotarrivein timetostopacriminalsbulletoncehehaspulledthetrigger. HastyReactionstoUnfortunateTragedies OursympathiesarewiththevictimsintheAuroratheatershootingandatSandyHook. However,theSheriffsdonotbelievethisistheappropriatetimetointroduceguncontrol legislationbecausedecisionslikelywillbemadeonemotionratherthanreasonandthatis notinthebestinterestofColorado.ItistheSheriffsopinionthatallguncontrolbillsbe tabledforatleastayeartoencouragerationaldeliberationsbeforeanydecisionsaremade. AssaultWeaponsBan TheCountySheriffsOfColoradoopposeabanonsocalledassaultweaponsbecauseofits vaguedefinition.Whatmanycallassaultweaponsareactuallysemiautomaticriflesthat operatethesameasanyotherrifleinthattheyfireonebulletforeveryonetimeatriggeris pulled.Semiautomaticriflesarenotmachineguns.Theydonotsprayfirelikea machinegun. Thetermassaultweaponsoftenisemployedincorrectlytodescribeanordinarysemi automaticriflesuchasanAR15,whichmillionsofresponsibleAmericansownwithout everharminganotherperson. Thepreviousfederalbanonsocalledassaultweaponswasconfusingandcosmeticin nature.Gunsconsideredscarysuchasthosewithapistolgripwerebannedwithnoregard foractualgunoperation. BanonPrivateSalesofFirearms TheCountySheriffsOfColoradoareadamantlyopposedtoanyrestrictiononapersons righttoprivatelysellfirearmstoanotherperson.Privatesalestofriends,neighborsor lovedoneswouldbecomeillegal,effectivelyturninglawabidingcitizensintocriminals. Localandstatelawenforcementdonothavetheresourcestostopprivatesalesoffirearms nortoinvestigatesuchtransactionsmakingthislawunenforceable. Forcingcitizenstosellfirearmsthroughafederalfirearmsdealeristhefirststeptowards gunregistrationandanationaldatabaseofgunowners.Thereislittlesupportamongour

constituentsforeither.ItisalsocontrarytoColoradoslongstandinghistory,traditionand cultureofnonregistrationoffirearms. Lawabidingcitizensownfirearmsforavarietyofreasonsincludingselfprotection, hunting,competition,orrecreation,buttheirreasonsaretheirown.Theydonotowean explanationtogovernment.CountySheriffsofColoradobelievegovernmentwhether stateorfederaldoesnothavetherighttoknowwhoownsafirearmorforwhatreason whenusedforlawfulandpeacefulpurposes. BanonHighCapacityMagazines Lawenforcementofficerscarryhighcapacitymagazinesbecausetherearetimeswhen10 roundsmightnotbeenoughtoendthethreat.CountySheriffsofColoradobelievethe sameshouldholdtrueforcivilianswhowishtodefendthemselves,especiallyifattackedby multipleassailants. RecentlyayoungmotherinGeorgia,defendingherselfandhertwochildren,neededallsix bulletsinher.38caliberhandguntostoponeintruder.Shehithimfivetimesandstillhe wasabletogetinhiscaranddriveaway.Fortunatelytheyoungmotherprevailed.Had therebeenmorethanoneassailant,theoutcomemaynothavebeenthesamebecauseshe wouldhavebeenoutofammunition. Also,weknowthatinhighpressure,highadrenalinesituations,peoplemaynotbeas accuratewiththeirshots.Thustheymayneedmoreammunitiontoneutralizeathreat. Whensecondsmatter,CountySheriffsofColoradodonotwanttodenyalawabiding citizentheabilitytodefendhimselfandhisfamilybasedonanarbitrarylimitonhowmany bulletsshouldbeinonemagazineclip. BanonBulkPurchasesofAmmunition Federallawalreadyprohibitsthefollowing: Possessionofammunitionbyconvictedfelons Controlledsubstanceusers Anyonesubjecttoadomesticviolencerestrainingorder Thesaleortransferoflonggunammunitiontoanyoneundertheageof18 Handgunammunitiontoanyoneundertheageof21

TheCountySheriffsofColoradoagreewiththeMajorCountySheriffsAssociationintheir lettertoVicePresidentJosephR.Bidenwhentheystated,wearenotconfidentsuch restrictionswouldhaveanimpactasevenifyoucantbuyinbulk,youcanstillbuymultiple boxesofsmallerquantities.

Buyingammunitioninlargequantitiesdoesnotequatetomassmurder.Recreational shootersoftenwillgothroughseveralthousandroundsinamonthandneverhurtanother humanbeing.Sinceammunitioncanbeexpensive,buyinginbulkisawaytoreducecost. Reducingtheabilitytopurchaseinbulkisjustanotherwaytohurtlawabidingcitizens. MandatoryEntryintoaStatewideDatabaseforConcealedCarryPermitHolders CountySheriffsofColoradoopposeanymandateforastatewidedatabaseforconcealed carrypermitholders.Concealedcarryrecordersarelocalrecordsbelongingtothe individualSheriffandshouldnotbeenteredintoastatewidesystem. Apermitholdermustattendafirearmstrainingcourse,befingerprintedandpass backgroundchecksbothlocallyandnationallybeforetheCountySheriffissuesthepermit. Localvoterstrustuswiththatauthorityandwetakethatresponsibilityveryseriously.Law abidingcitizensshouldnotbepunishedforfollowingthelawbybeingenteredintoastate mandateddatabase. MentalHealth AllmembersofCSOCweredeeplysaddenedbytheshockingeventsatSandyHookand Aurorabutarealsounderthebeliefthattheproposedguncontrolactionstreatsthe symptomsandnottheoverarchingcoreproblemofmentalillness. Likemany,CSOCrecognizesthatseverementalillness,andnotguncontrol,isatthecorein dealingwithindividualswhoturnviolentagainstourchildren,family,friends,and communities.Suggestionsformandatoryreportingrequirementsbymentalhealthgroups possiblycreatemoreproblemsthansolutions.Thisrecognitionturnsustoexplore avenuesforbetterfundingforscreening,treatment,education,andadditionalgovernment supportedmentalhealthfacilities;notguncontrol. OverthelasthalfcenturyintheUnitedStatestherehasbeenacontinuedescalationof turningfrominstitutionalcareforourmentallyillcitizenstoamorecommunitybased supportsystemalsoknownasdeinstitutionalization.Manystudieshaveshownthatthis deinstitutionalizationisamajorcausefortheincreasedcontactofpeoplewithmental illnessandthecriminaljusticesystem.InColoradothelargestmentalhealthtreatment facilitiesarethecountyjailsandstateprisons. Thequestionshouldnotbewhattypeofgundoesapersonwhoisseverallymentallyill possessbutratherwhyisthatpersonwalkingaroundfreelyinthefirstplace?Toquote oncemorefromtheMajorSheriffsAssociationlettertoVicePresidentBidenThereisa stronglinkbetweenuntreatedmentalillnessandtheincreasedriskofcommittingviolent acts,includinghomicideIncludedinthereportisastudyofviolentcrimestatisticsand

trendscomparingthemtothenumberofpsychiatricbedsavailable;theyfounda correlation: Whenindividualswithseverementalillnessreceiveappropriate andeffectivetreatment,theirriskofcommittingviolentactsisno greaterthanthatofthegeneralpopulation.Whentheydonot receivetreatment,multiplestudieshavefoundtheirriskofviolent behavior,includinghomicides,tobesignificantlyelevated. Tosuggestthattakingawayconstitutionallyprotectedfreedomsfromourlawabiding citizensthroughguncontrolwouldsomehowalleviate,remediate,oreliminatethethreat fromviolentmentallyillindividualsmissesthepointthatthelackofmentalhealthfunding, treatment,education,andfacilitysupportaretherootcausesoftheexistingproblemand thepertinentareasthatshouldbeaddressed. Conclusion TheCountySheriffsofColoradowelcomeopen,honest,anddeliberativedialogueonall publicsafetyissues.Atthesametime,weurgeourstateelectedofficialsnottomake decisionsduringthisgrievingperiodbecauseitwouldlikelyleadtopoliciesthatare unenforceableandpossiblyunconstitutional,whilepunishinglawabidingcitizensand doingnothingtoreduceviolentcrime.