(We are pleased to post the following commentary from Hoosiers Concerned About Gun Violence in response to the Indy Star's investigative report about Indiana's broken and flawed CCW permit system).

The Indy Star's exceptional investigative report, “Should these men have been allowed to carry a gun?” on Oct. 11, should force state lawmakers to reform Indiana's broken carrying concealed weapons (CCW) permit system.

During a one year period ending in 2009, the Star found that at least 456 applicants in Marion and Lake counties alone received a CCW license from the state police despite recommendations from local law enforcement officials to deny those requests.

The real world results of an ineffective system, and the failure to identify and prohibit high-risk individuals from obtaining gun permits means that the state is arming violent individuals and domestic abusers to carry loaded firearms in public spaces. This urgent public safety issue needs to be addressed through bipartisan and statewide legislation.

Reforming the conceal carry permit system requires better communication and coordination between local law enforcement officials and the state police. Local police must be required to submit all relevant records from an applicant electronically to the state police, such as misdemeanor convictions, especially those that are downgraded from felonies, background checks, police reports, traffic citations, court records, orders of protections, and clear recommendations whether an applicant should be granted a permit. Likewise, the state police should defer to the recommendations of local law enforcement who are better able to determine the possible risks of a permit holder, unless there are compelling reasons to overturn their recommendations.

State police must also revoke CCW licenses immediately when a permit holder is convicted of a violent misdemeanor, felony, or cited with a domestic violence order of protection. That also means that courts have to submit orders of protection to the state police on a timely basis to keep guns away from domestic abusers.

Finally, state lawmakers should rescind the “lifetime” CCW license and instead require license holders to reapply for a permit at least every four years using the same system and requirements for local law enforcement officials and the state police.

Hoosiers Concerned About Gun Violence is concerned about the public safety risk anytime someone carries a loaded firearm in public, such as at a park, inside a movie theater, or on a bus. Nonetheless, there are sensible and effective reforms that we can all agree on that would help reduce the threat of permitting violent and high-risk offenders to carry loaded guns in public spaces.

State Police Major Doug Shelton said of the CCW licensing system, “Are there things we can improve on? Sure. Absolutely.” We couldn't agree more. Let's improve this flawed system.

Hoosiers Concerned About Gun Violence