Welcome to TheOhioOutdoors
Wanting to join the rest of our members? Login or sign up today!
Login / Join

Lake county/CCW instructor gave out 170 invalid certificates

CJD3

Dignitary Member
Supporting Member
14,630
201
NE Ohio
The Lake County Sheriff’s Office was informed that a concealed carry instructor, who was properly licensed, had been offering what he called “fast track classes,” said Lake County Sheriff’s Office Capt. Ron Walters. “He wasn’t even sending them to the range,” Walters said. The Sheriff’s Office investigated the instructor’s activities during the last two years and learned that he handed out more than 170 completion certificates, which the students then used to obtain a concealed carry license, Walters said.

The instructor, whose name is not being released as he has not yet been charged, instructed residents across the county, often making house calls and handing out completion certificates. These certificates were then used to obtain CCW licenses, Walters said.

All of the students have been contacted, told that their licenses are invalid and instructed to retake the training courses.
The agency has seen some cases in the past of instructors trying to cut corners, but “nothing that got this blatant,” Walters said.


http://www.news-herald.com/general-...ly-gave-out-170-invalid-training-certificates


----------------------------------------------------------------------
Disappointing...
 

Joel

Senior Member
3,049
113
Centerburg, Ohio
This happened with another Instructor in Ohio a couple years ago. I think he was giving short "classes" at an Internet cafe or something and no range time. He ended up with felony charges and I bet this one does too. Dumbass.
 

CJD3

Dignitary Member
Supporting Member
14,630
201
NE Ohio
I wonder how much worse it would be if any of his students had been involved in a shooting and found at fault?
 

MK111

"Happy Hunting Grounds in the Sky"
Supporting Member
6,551
66
SW Ohio
I wonder how much worse it would be if any of his students had been involved in a shooting and found at fault?

I would say none the worst as they didn't know and thought they where in the right to carry. Now since they have been notified they have no right to carry unless they redo their training and apply for a new licence.
 

hickslawns

Dignitary Member
Supporting Member
39,721
248
Ohio
Interesting. Not overly surprising. Crazy part is in some states there is very little training required. Not positive, but is a CCW even required in all states?
 

MK111

"Happy Hunting Grounds in the Sky"
Supporting Member
6,551
66
SW Ohio
I think if you are not a felon you should be able to carry if you desire to. The CCW is just another money making proposition IMO.

Just a law is in the works now in Ohio. I do have my concerns though. Being around gunshows as a dealer for 29 yrs. now I've came to the decision that 8 out of 10 gun owners shouldn't be allowed to have a firearm and ammo. One or the other but not both. Really sad. IMHO
 

Jamie

Senior Member
5,691
177
Ohio
I suspect this goes on more than we would want to believe. I'm on board with required training to get a concealed carry license, but I don't like being in a government data base because I want to carry a gun.
 

MK111

"Happy Hunting Grounds in the Sky"
Supporting Member
6,551
66
SW Ohio
I suspect this goes on more than we would want to believe. I'm on board with required training to get a concealed carry license, but I don't like being in a government data base because I want to carry a gun.

I don't either but I get the idea the government already know we are here and present. I have a good friend who refuses to buy a firearm from a FFL Dealer because he doesn't want to be in the records. He's a past police officer and a retired 30 yr. 911 operator. I've told him the government knows he exists but he still won't do it. Now really.
 
Last edited:

Joel

Senior Member
3,049
113
Centerburg, Ohio
I agree that there are people that should not be allowed to have firearms besides felons. On the other hand, I understand it's not my place to decide who gets one and who doesn't and the government shouldn't have any say in it either. I'm ok with felons losing their right to firearms though, that's a little different.

My issue with the license in Ohio is this. If someone is not a felon, they can legally walk into a gun shop and buy a pistol, ammo and a holster no matter how dumb they are or how unsafe they are. That same person can then strap the new pistol, fully loaded, to his or her hip and carry it in public. If that same person wants to drape a t-shirt over that same handgun they then need to take a class, get fingerprinted and pay for a card. Does not make an ounce of sense to me. We also have several states that allow legal firearms owners to carry concealed without a license and those states are not having any issues.

I have had my license for 6 years because I want to be armed and be able to defend myself if needed. I took the damn class but didn't learn a thing aside from maybe some new to me NRA terminology. I actually went and got certified to teach pistol, rifle, muzzle loading rifle, shotgun, reloading along with the Range Safety Officer class. I'm not bragging about that btw. Now anyone with a week of free time and a few hundred bucks can get a laminated card with the same certifications on it.

I've taught about 150 students in concealed carry classes over the last 5 or so years. Some of these people truly needed and benefited from the class. Others were like me when I took it and didn't learn crap because of prior experience. They all had to sit through the same 12 hours because that was the law. I had one lady that was a probation officer who had taken over 40 hours of OPOTA training in firearms. Probably a dozen or so veterans that were trained and countless people way older than me that have been handling guns since before I could walk. All sat through the same 12 hours.

I think the 8 hour class in the recent legislation is an improvement. 4 would be even better and 0 with no license fee or fingerprints would be much more constitutional.

The number of Instructors out there is insane now and this definitely happens way more than we hear about. I've seen so many goofballs teaching concealed carry that I don't hardly teach anymore or talk about my certification because I don't want to be associated with those people. I stopped trying to teach my own classes for profit a few years ago and now just do small groups and donate all the money back to the conservation club I'm involved in. Too many people hanging signs up that say "$90 CCW" or $75... or $50. I used to think it was cool to be legally allowed to teach the class and took it seriously and did my best to be legal and actually help people. Now I roll my eyes whenever I hear someone say they are an NRA Instructor. Some are great, others not so much.

So, I think training is great. The more the better. Just don't force me to sit through a class I don't need and make me go to the Sheriff's Office and lay cash down and get my fingerprints scanned so I can cover 3 inches of exposed grip with a piece of cloth and drive my car without unloading my gun first.

Sorry... rant over lol.