Plattsmouth changes CCW ordinance

Tuesday, May 20, 2008 - 04:27:33 pm CDT

After five months of research and deliberating, Plattsmouth City Council approved changing the city’s Carrying Concealed Weapon ordinance Monday night.

The ordinance now allows any person with a lawful permit in compliance with the state’s Concealed Handgun Permit Act to carry a concealed handgun in the city of Plattsmouth.

It is however, unlawful for any person to carry a handgun without the permit or a knife, billy club, slingshot, metal knuckles or other deadly weapon of any kind.

Last November, several citizens approached the council requesting the change. They cited the Legislature’s passage of LB 454 and a need for law-abiding citizens to be able to protect themselves when dangerous situations arise as reasons the Plattsmouth statute needed to mirror the state’s legislation.

LB 454 allows qualified applicants to apply for a permit to carry concealed weapons. Applications must be U.S. citizens, Nebraska residents, 21 years or older, wit eyesight worthy of a driver’s license. They must also complete an approved firearm training course. Felony or violent misdemeanor convictions disqualify people from applying for the permits.

To determine whether the Plattsmouth law needed to change, an ad hoc committee was formed in January to study the issue and make a recommendation to the council. Committee members were Mayor Paul Lambert and councilmen Terry Tilson and Terry Kerns, Plattsmouth Police Chief Brian Paulsen and citizens Richard Harter and John Hurst.

Before council members approved the ordinance change, Council President Ruth Wassinger asked if enough input was received to make the decision.

"The committee worked through it very diligently," Tilson said. "People had plenty of opportunity during the five months for input."

The committee spoke with Nebraska State Patrol as well as Plattsmouth police officers.

"I’d be comfortable with passing it," Kerns added.

"It was the conclusion of the committee that we should move ahead with it," the mayor said.

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TJ
May 20, 2008 10:11 PM
Thank you for letting citizens practice their constitutional rights and also letting them protect themselves.
Tim
May 21, 2008 7:09 AM
Thank you to all who worked so hard to change the law.
AJ
May 21, 2008 9:45 PM
Well, I'm disappointed that the Council has pandered to the gun happy, fear mongering minority. Plattsmouth just got a whole bunch more dangerous.
DS
May 22, 2008 12:38 PM
Seems that to some the freedom of speech and to bear arms don’t fall under the same constitution. California is taking citizens I hear......
Tim
May 22, 2008 12:42 PM
:) Sounds good AJ. Can you cite facts? What other towns in Nebraska have gotten more dangerous?

CCW has been the law in Nebraska for well over a year now. The impact it has had is well beyond the theoretical.

It's about time you anti-CCW folk back your claims with fact.
CS
May 22, 2008 2:59 PM
Only if you are a criminal. I really have to wonder why so many people are paranoid when the lawful weapons owners have to jump through so many hoops to qualify for a permit, but those people that would never qualify can just go borrow/buy one from a friend or a pawnshop or illicitly. Why do you fear people that have to abide by twice as many rules as anyone else?
Anti- AJ
May 22, 2008 3:43 PM
Hmmm, lets take a look at Washington D.C., they banned All guns. So why is it you can walk by the Smithsonian and hear gunfire? Perhaps those law abiding drug dealers didn't get the memo??? Na, we both know they chose not to abide by the law... While a CCW permit holder goes through a background check, training, and classes at his/her own expense to exercise his/her own rights. Can you say that about the last perp that robbed ur local gas station? By the way if you want fear mongering reaed the "Times," and stop calling the kettle black................
Anti- AJ
May 22, 2008 3:47 PM
Hmmm, lets take a look at Washington D.C., they banned All guns. So why is it you can walk by the Smithsonian and hear gunfire? Perhaps those law abiding drug dealers didn't get the memo??? Na, we both know they chose not to abide by the law... While a CCW permit holder goes through a background check, training, and classes at his/her own expense to exercise his/her own rights. Can you say that about the last perp that robbed your local gas station? By the way if you want fear mongering read the "Times," and stop calling the kettle black................
Jay
May 22, 2008 10:43 PM
"Plattsmouth just got a whole bunch more dangerous."

What facts are you basing your statement on, AJ? I'm up for a friendly debate. Maybe you can prove me wrong. Show me some statistics that back your claims up. Legalized concealed carry has been around for years upon years. There is a wealth of information on it. You put it in writing, now back it up.

In fact, while you're at it, show me one single instance where gun control of any kind has had any sort of measurable, reproducible, positive effect on society. Just one.

Here's a novel idea, let's spend our time getting criminals off our streets, not taking away the rights of law abiding citizens. If we as Americans can't take the time to research the facts on our own and quit being spoon fed emotional dribble with no basis in reality, on any subject matter, then we are in big trouble.

Thank you Plattsmouth Council Members for having the fortitude to look past any preconceived notions you may have had and making an intelligent decision based on historical facts and common sense. I know you put a great deal of time and effort into your research and I applaud you.

And AJ, if you would like to make an effort to educate yourself on this subject, my wife, my children and myself would be more than happy to invite you to come to the range with us anytime. No pressure to sway your opinion, just an opportunity to gain some free knowledge, and maybe even have some fun. If you still feel the same way at the end of the day, then so be it. At least you will walk away with a better understanding of who we are talking about as being affected by this ordinance.
duck and cover
May 23, 2008 7:28 AM
You have got to be kidding? We are talking about the same Plattsmouth that has a problem with "city slickers" walking in "their bar"? Plattsmouth has so many bar fights, they always have. Now you want to allow some drunk to carry a gun so that if someone looks at him wrong he can shoot him? Sounds like the same old Plattsmouth, no brains, but lots of booze
Fantastic
May 23, 2008 9:28 AM
I'm not sure what AJ is worried about. I will feel much safer in Plattsmouth knowing that people have the ability to defend themselves and their families. The bad guys will carry guns regardless of the law, now they have to think twice before they pick a "defenseless" victim. I would like to thank the council for using some common sense and seeing that this is the right decision.
Jesse
May 23, 2008 10:28 AM
Glad this got passed! Wish more Nebraska cities would take the hint.

@AJ: Realistically, this change in law does absolutely nothing to make Plattsmouth more dangerous.

As a law abiding CCW holder, you know that I have no history of mental illness, no police history of any type of violent crime or weapons related crime. I also have demonstrated to a state certified firearms instructor that I am competent both in the use of and law concerning my firearm. What do you know about the other citizens and visitors to Plattsmouth?

We are not 'gun-happy', we are cautious. None of us are carrying just to scare you or show off or anything like that. We are not 'fear-mongering', we are prepared.

Why should I hand off responsibility for my personal safety to the government? They can't put a bodyguard on me 24/7 (and they shouldn't!), and they can't respond in anything less than two minutes (and usually significantly more) to a call, and that's if I'm able to make the call. Law enforcement is a RE-active force against criminals. Carrying a weapon (and everything that entails - training, practice, knowledge, mindset) is a PRO-active force against the bad guys.

By preparing for the worst, I can securely enjoy the best, in life.

Again glad to hear Plattsmouth passed this law.
Randy
May 23, 2008 11:45 AM
Finally a city with a number of intelligent Council Members excellent work.
They researched the topic did not rush the subject and voted wisely.
There are at the present 48 states that issue permits to its residents.
AJ show me the numbers proving your reason of fear of CCW permit holders.
The sky has not fallen.
Gun free zones are an invitation to criminals, and also where the mass shootings have happened.
Criminal walks into a store posted Gun Free Zone criminal does not stop and say darn another gun free zone I can not go in there to rob them.

MAB
May 23, 2008 12:36 PM
It's great that Plattsmouth has come in line with the State Law and allow citizens to provide protection for themselves. All the nay sayers/anti's will realize this won't affect them one bit and blood won't pour out in the streets of Plattsmouth. It hasn't happened elsewhere in Nebraska or other CCW legal states why would it happen in Plattsmouth. It's an uneducated comment by AJ.
MAB
May 23, 2008 1:58 PM
duck and cover,
You're another uneducated speaker! A permit holder may not carry a weapon into the bars of Plattsmouth by law. Once again the permit holders are law abiding citizens and have the background to prove it. The people that will carry weapons into bars are the people that would do it anyway without the permit.
Dan
May 23, 2008 6:54 PM
It is very gratifying to see that a group of citizens can bring about the restoration of lost liberty.

My congratulations to the free citizens of Plattsmouth.

long may ye reign
Dan Jr
May 24, 2008 12:46 AM
Thanks to everyone who helped us pass this. It's about time Plattsmouth brought it's laws in to line with the rest of the state.

Plattsmouth resident and permit holder.
WOW
May 24, 2008 5:54 AM
I love this website! I did not know such backwards, hillbilly towns were still around. I'll bet you even have a racist festival called the KKK every year? HUH????
MAD
May 24, 2008 8:19 AM
Duck and cover hit the nail on the head! All handguns and assault weapons should be banned. I know for a fact that most all cops support me on this. Watch the news, people killed every nite in Omaha. Have you already forgotten what happened at westroads last december? The gun happy crowd always said if we had a law like this the shootings at westroads would never happen? PS-Does Plattsmouth still have the KKK every fall? Our next President may feel that's a racial slur.
Dan Jr
May 24, 2008 1:24 PM
***"The gun happy crowd always said if we had a law like this the shootings at westroads would never happen?"***

Thank you for bringing this up, but your unfamiliarity with the law and the events at westroads only bolster the Right-to-Carry position.

Westroads is posted a Gun Free Zone. People with permits to carry can not legally carry there. There was in fact a CCW permit holder in the store at the time but due to the restrictions on permit holders by the mall management, the permit holder was following the law and left his or her handgun in the car.
The shooter on the other hand had no regard for the law, much less the store policy.


Westroads mall is still posted a Gun Free Zone, therefore inviting another massacre.

I'm on vacation in California right now visiting family. Now here's a state that completely bans so called "assault weapons" and most handguns. There is more gun crime here than most other states combined.
Tim
May 27, 2008 9:01 PM
:) Well MAD, can you tell me what the North Omaha violence has to do with legal gun ownership or legal CCW?

It never ceases to amaze me how the opponents of CCW simply WILL NOT acknowledge the many, many years of experience of the many states that allow CCW.

Why don't they? Because it blows their emotional arguments clean out of the water.
jim
May 28, 2008 9:00 PM
"Duck and cover hit the nail on the head! All handguns and assault weapons should be banned. I know for a fact that most all cops support me on this. Watch the news, people killed every nite in Omaha."


-MAD


...... as if banning all guns would do anything other than make the murders in North O "more illegaler" (as if MURDER is not illegal enough!), and deprive the law abiding of any chance of self-defense...... methinks you either make decisions based upon emotion and feelings rather than logic and physics, or are engaged in in criminal enterprises which are endangered by armed citizens. It matters not which, to me..... unless you target either my Liberty (if you are of the Emo set)or my Safety (if you are criminally minded).
lincmercguy
Jun 5, 2008 3:55 PM
AJ, your fears are misplaced. The people who want to harm others would not have been stopped by this ordinance, and they would not apply for a carry permit anyway.