Concealed-weapons bill upsets police

John Wilkerson

Thursday, March 1, 2001 | 11:08 a.m.

CARSON CITY -- Sheriffs and police chiefs asked lawmakers Wednesday to kill a bill that would let weekend tourists pack their registered concealed weapons -- without notifying Nevada authorities.

But Dick Kirkland, head of the state Department of Motor Vehicles and Public Safety and former Washoe County sheriff, told the Senate Judiciary Committee he favored the proposal.

Under Senate Bill 20, gun-toting tourists would have to notify local authorities only if they spend more than three days in Nevada. But if in town for two or three days, no notice would be needed.

Kirkland said that in his 32 years of law enforcement experience, he had few problems with people registered to carry concealed weapons. He added people who have met the requirements of one state should be allowed to carry a weapon in any state.

"I guess I'm a strict constitutionalist," Kirkland said. "I also believe in the government's responsibility to control and ensure that criminals and people who are mentally disturbed are prohibited (from owning a gun)."

Metro Police Lt. Stan Olsen, speaking for the Nevada Sheriffs and Chiefs Association, said he isn't against the idea of citizens with permitted concealed weapons crossing state borders.

But Olsen said he could only support SB20 if there's a system for verifying the status of concealed weapon permit holders -- and there isn't.

"If we have someone from some other state, we would like to have the ability, at 2 a.m. in the morning, to validate and verify that the concealed weapon that person is presenting to us is a valid concealed weapon," Olsen said.

Olsen also noted the proposed bill, revived by Sen. Maurice Washington, R-Sparks, only applies to weapons concealed on a person's body.