There was controversy at the Capitol Thursday over a bill which would allow police officers to require gun owners to produce their permit to carry a firearm. At the moment, they can’t demand to see a permit unless they can see the firearm and suspect criminal activity.
Gun rights advocates say the measure would be a violation of the second amendment.
Chris Kopacki, from the National Rifle Association, gave testimony before the legislature’s Public Safety Committee. "This bill violates the freedom from unreasonable search and seizure guaranteed by the U.S. constitution," he said. "The fourth amendment allows police to stop and briefly detain a person for investigation, only if the officer has a reasonable suspicion…that criminal activity is occurring."
But Chief State’s Attorney Kevin Kane called the proposal balanced and constitutional. “It’s a reasonable intrusion, it’s a minor intrusion,” he said. “The courts would support the law as we’re suggesting it be.”
Numerous police officers also spoke in favor, many describing scenarios they had dealt with in the past with people who had refused to show permits.
“It puts us in a very precarious situation,” said Paul Melanson, Chief of Farmington Police, “to be with an individual who’s armed with a handgun which is exposed to the public, who could be right outside on a sidewalk of a school. And how are we supposed to handle that?”
John Krupinski is president of the Connecticut State Fraternal Order of Police. He said he’s a staunch supporter of the Second Amendment, but changing the permit laws is just common sense.
“If someone tells me right now, ‘I’m not going to show you my permit,’ …I get back in my car, and we drive away," he told the committee. "If anybody thinks that’s good common sense, there’s something wrong with that. I have no control over what that guy does after I pull away. And God forbid he does something wrong. I know I’m going to be held accountable somewhere down the road.”
The bill was supported by advocates from Newtown who said those who’ve witnessed gun violence are intimidated by people openly carrying weapons in their community.
“Why have a permitting process if we’re not going to ask gun owners to produce it?” said Po Murray, chairwoman of Newtown Action Alliance.
