Journal-News.com

HAMILTON — I'm not a gun enthusiast or a paranoid person by nature, but I am a wife who occasionally does worry about my own safety while I'm out at night covering news assignments as a reporter for the Hamilton JournalNews.

That's why I recently decided to learn more about handgun safety and to exercise my individual right to bear arms — if I so choose -— by signing up to take a 10-hour concealed weapons training course with the Hamilton Police Department.

My city editor and I thought it would be a good idea for me to do a story about the course, since I cover police and fire for the paper.

I was one of 57 students in a blended class, which was conducted during two 5-hour sessions on Feb. 27 and March 1 at police headquarters on South Front Street. It was open to the hearing impaired for the first time since the program was offered by the department in December 2004. The two hearing-impaired individuals participating in the class were assisted by sign language interpreters from Cincinnati State Technical and Community College in

Clifton.

All professional walks of life were represented in the class, including firefighters, Realtors and a Hamilton prosecutor.

The class, which also required two hours of firearms proficiency on a range, was conducted by Hamilton Police Sgt. Ed Buns, police officer

Brian Buchanan and Det. Daniel

Stevenson.

They taught us how to safely handle a handgun, how to safely store ammunition and how to properly transport handguns in a motor vehicle. They also showed us how to use a holster and carry a concealed weapon, how to safely store a handgun at home, the importance of educating our families about handguns and how to safely load and unload a weapon.

I thought I knew a little about handguns, since I had been to a firing range with my husband several times to shoot in recent years. But I knew far less than I thought.

Some of the most important things I learned are that I should always treat every firearm as if it is loaded and if I decide to carry one, I should be ready to defend my life or those around me, if needed, and be willing to accept responsibility for my actions.

I also learned that Ohio law specifies that deadly force is only an option for self defense and defense of another; in other words, the use of deadly force should be a last resort. For deadly force to be justified, the aggressor must have the opportunity, ability or intent to cause you or another serious physical harm or death.

Specifically, House Bill 12 requires that if you use deadly force, you must show that you attempted to retreat, unless you are in your own home or business. In other words, you must be able to convince a jury during a trial that you thought injury or death was imminent.

In early 2004, the Ohio Legislature gave Ohioans the right to carry a firearm concealed on their person; the law also specified how firearms should be carried in a motor vehicle, where you can and cannot carry a concealed firearm, training requirements and liability coverage. Failure to comply can result in misdemeanor or felony charges.

Under Ohio law, no person issued a license or temporary emergency license to carry a concealed handgun should knowingly transport or have a loaded handgun in a motor vehicle unless it is in a holster and in plain sight on your person or secured by being stored in a closed, locked glove box.

But effective March 14, a person issued a license to carry a concealed handgun will be able to carry his weapon concealed on his person, in a vehicle. Failure to tell an officer you have a concealed carry weapon permit could result in an increased penalty.

Now I encourage adults who are afraid of guns or curious about them to sign up for the CCW course to learn as much as possible about gun safety in case you or your children ever have to come into contact with a weapon; I also recommend that gun enthusiasts take the course to learn how to carry a concealed handgun legally in Ohio.

Besides, you're responsible for your own safety.

To obtain more information about the carrying concealed weapons class, call Sgt. Buns at 868-5811, Ext. 1395.

Contact this reporter at (513) 820-2190 or dewilson@coxohio.com.