concealed weapons on campus

A USU student who has a concealed weapons permit said he likes to exercise his Second Amendment right and feel protected.

"I won't carry it when I'm around people with alcohol but always have it within arms reach on road trips or when I go to Vegas or downtown Salt Lake," said the student, who asked not to be named.

This four-year permit holder said he wanted to obtain a permit for his protection and keeps his firearm in the car or on his person "in necessary situations."

He said his concealed weapon came in handy when several men demanded he give them his wallet in North Salt Lake while he was pumping gas. The student said he told the men he had a gun and "doesn't miss." He said he then pulled out the gun, and the men left.

Currently under Utah state law, students the age of 21 and older can obtain a concealed weapons permit after a rigorous process and can carry a firearm on campus or anywhere other than specifically designated areas. If approached by an officer, the permit holder must identify their permit status to make the officer aware of the situation. Dexter Taylor, instructor, teaches a concealed weapons permit course for the Department of Public Safety.

To obtain a permit in Utah, Taylor said a person must complete a minimum of a four-hour class, do an FBI fingerprint card, obtain a signed affidavit stating the applicant has a clean criminal record, undergo a background check in all 50 states, submit a photo, take a written and shooting test and pay a fee.

Taylor said renewal for permits is $10 every five years and that any firearm is applicable under this permit.

"Permit holders are safe because they are the ones turning in all of their information," Taylor said. "They are actually helping society."

Taylor also said a concealed weapon's permit is as safe as a driver's license. It only certifies them to have a firearm on them and doesn't give them any extra rights, he said.

There are four places where carrying a concealed weapon is prohibited, Taylor said, which include federal buildings, courts or mental health facilities, secure areas of an airport and property of religious institutions that have registered with the state.

Taylor said people have many different reasons for applying for a permit.

"Some people want it as an alternate form of ID, for protection, firearm education, they might be bail bondsman or attorneys who use it as their continuing education hours," Taylor said.

A large portion of the people applying for concealed weapons permits in Utah are not Utah residents, he said, a possible reason being that their home state is more "selfish" and it's harder to obtain one in their place of residence.

Taylor said 32 states recognize and accept Utah's permits, although each state has different laws concerning them. Nicole Starks, supervisor of firearms from the Bureau of Criminal Investigations in Salt Lake City, said in a phone interview, that as of Dec. 31, 2007, Utah had 108,100 valid concealed weapons permits with just more than 36,000 of those permits being issued to non-Utah residents.

-renae.cowley@aggiemail.usu.edu