A sign of the Times

By The Quad-City Times

----

The sign is up outside of our building. Weapons of any kind are prohibited.

What's your workplace policy?

Iowa's expanded concealed carry law is putting thousands and thousands more guns into the concealed holsters of Iowa Quad-Citians. Last year, Scott County Sheriff Dennis Conard issued 850 concealed carry permits. As of late, 2,358 county residents are permitted to carry concealed guns. Conard said that number will more than double by the end of the year. At least.

“We thought we'd see it slowing down, but we're not seeing that,” Conard said. We asked the sheriff: Might we hit 5,000 by year's end? “We'll see every bit of that,” Conard replied.

As currently interpreted, those Iowa permit holders can carry those concealed weapons through our entire bi-state community, even though Illinois law expressly forbids it.

An Illinois Supreme Court ruling earlier this year permitted out-of-state firearm owner identification cards to be recognized in Illinois. That ruling did not change Illinois law about transporting weapons. Any gun must be unloaded in a locked or latched case when transported in Illinois.

Iowa law requires new concealed carry permit holders to undergo four hours of training. Conard said all training is done by private contractors, so he wasn't sure what these thousands of new permit holders are being told.

Bettendorf gun trainer Darin D. Oberhart said he's averaging 100 permit students per month. “I tell them they cannot carry their weapon in Illinois. It needs to be unloaded and secured in the vehicle.” He couldn't recall an Iowa permit holder ever being arrested in Illinois. “I understand they're very lenient about it in the Quad-Cities,” he said.

Not everywhere in Illinois.

Rock Island Police Lt. Vernard Gillman said anyone caught transporting a firearm improperly would be arrested in his town, regardless of an Iowa concealed carry permit. No exceptions. He couldn't recall an officer encountering an otherwise lawful Iowan caught carrying a permitted, concealed weapon.

Moline Police Chief Kim Hankins said his officers generally have honored Scott County's concealed carry permits when they find armed Iowans. If the permit holder is encountered with a weapon in the course of employment, as a security officer for example, the officer overlooks the offense. If a Moline officer finds a Scott County permit holder en route to an Illinois shooting range, the offender would be counseled to store ammunition and weapons separately while in transit.

Hankins, a 30-year veteran, couldn't recall one of his officers ever arresting an Iowa concealed carry permit holder for bringing a gun to Illinois.

But that was before the number of Quad-Citians carrying concealed weapons tripled. We fully support individuals' Second Amendment rights, including the right to lawfully carry concealed weapons under state law. At the same time, we're confident our customers and employees do not need concealed weapons to be safe in our workplace. But with 2,358 concealed gun carriers already in our community, and thousands more coming, what should be the policy for your city hall, workplace or favorite restaurant or store?

---