Fly320s
January 8, 2003, 07:51 PM
Well. it's official. Tennessee has the most fouled-up system to obtain a Handgun Carry Permit.
I took the required handgun safety class in December. The instructor was a nice guy, very much pro-RKBA, but not a very good teacher. His final instructions to us, as we were walking out the door, was to take the application to a driver's license office with the $115 fee and turn it in.
So I call my local office to make an appointment as required. The lady who answers says that no appointment is needed, just come on down. I think, "Great. This will be a snap." Ha!
I get to the office, check in with the desk, and wait for my name to be called. When called I go the desk, sign the form in front of the employee, pay my fee and I'm done.
The employee gives me my receipt and copy of the application and a phone number to call to get finger-printed. I tell him that I thought the driver's license station would take my prints. He says no, has to be this place (the phone number) or Sheriff's office.
I run over to the Sheriff's office to get printed. I ask the officer running the metal detector where I can get my prints taken. He says that they only do prints on Wednesday from 2:30 to 4:30 (today is Tues., Dec. 31). He further states that the office will be closed tomorrow, Wed., January 1 for new years.
Ok, I'll call the number then. The lady I speak to asks me all kinds of questions about my ID: SSN, Name, address, phone number. I give her all that before I can make an appointment. The next appointment available is the following Tuesday morning. I put my name down for that time and hang-up.
Well, I missed that appointment because I didn't get back in town in time from my job. No problem, the next day is Wednesday, I'll have the Sheriff's office print me.
I go to the office, find the right room, and tell the lady behind the glass that I would like to get printed for the Handgun Carry Permit. She says OK, hand me your fingerprint cards and $10. I say I don't have any such cards. She says sorry, go get some from the DL office.
I run over to the DL office, ask for the cards. The man behind the counter looks kind of confused. He asks if I've taken the required course. Yes. He asks if I've applied for the permit. Yes. He asks where I'm getting my prints done. Sheriff's office. OK, here are your cards. You need two, but here's three in case one gets messed-up. Thanks, bye.
Back to the sheriff's office. Find the right room and clerk. Show her my ID, giver her $10. She gives me a receipt and sends me upstairs to get printed. I wait for a few minutes before the officer comes in.
Let me say one thing about all the people I have encountered so far. They are all very nice, professional, and friendly, just not forthcoming on information or advice. The office I meet with is also friendly and says he has no problem with the concealed carry of guns. We chat about guns while he's taking my prints. When finished, I ask him where am I supposed to send these. He doesn't know, but he thinks they should go back to the DL office.
With my fresh prints in hand, back to the DL office.
Man behind the counter says he can't accept them. I ask why. He says you have to turn them in with your application to be processed. I say that I wasn't advised of that. I say I was given a number to call and that is all. He says, yes, that number is to the company that has been contracted to do prints for the State. I say I understand, but the application clearly states that the prints may be taken by the Sheriff's office. He says he knows it says that but that it is not correct. I ask why didn't someone print that the fingerprints had to be turned in with the application on the application or just tell me. He doesn't know.
So I call the number again. The lady on the phone says that their company will be in my town again on January 20th. I make my appointment not even knowing if I'll be in town that day.
Here we go again.
This all could have been avoided. When I applied for my CHL in Texas, all the required paperwork was done as part of the class. At the end of the class, I put it all in the provided envelope with my check and mailed it. Nothing could be easier, except of course not requiring a permit.
Furthermore after all this mess, I still have a poor idea of where I am legally allowed to carry and where I can't.
Does Tennessee publish a book, like Texas does, that contains all the applicable laws and information for a Handgun Carry Permit? One would be very handy to have in my car. The internet site is good, but hard to carry everywhere.
Has anyone else had this much trouble? Have I done this to myself?
-end of frustrated rant.
Fly
I took the required handgun safety class in December. The instructor was a nice guy, very much pro-RKBA, but not a very good teacher. His final instructions to us, as we were walking out the door, was to take the application to a driver's license office with the $115 fee and turn it in.
So I call my local office to make an appointment as required. The lady who answers says that no appointment is needed, just come on down. I think, "Great. This will be a snap." Ha!
I get to the office, check in with the desk, and wait for my name to be called. When called I go the desk, sign the form in front of the employee, pay my fee and I'm done.
The employee gives me my receipt and copy of the application and a phone number to call to get finger-printed. I tell him that I thought the driver's license station would take my prints. He says no, has to be this place (the phone number) or Sheriff's office.
I run over to the Sheriff's office to get printed. I ask the officer running the metal detector where I can get my prints taken. He says that they only do prints on Wednesday from 2:30 to 4:30 (today is Tues., Dec. 31). He further states that the office will be closed tomorrow, Wed., January 1 for new years.
Ok, I'll call the number then. The lady I speak to asks me all kinds of questions about my ID: SSN, Name, address, phone number. I give her all that before I can make an appointment. The next appointment available is the following Tuesday morning. I put my name down for that time and hang-up.
Well, I missed that appointment because I didn't get back in town in time from my job. No problem, the next day is Wednesday, I'll have the Sheriff's office print me.
I go to the office, find the right room, and tell the lady behind the glass that I would like to get printed for the Handgun Carry Permit. She says OK, hand me your fingerprint cards and $10. I say I don't have any such cards. She says sorry, go get some from the DL office.
I run over to the DL office, ask for the cards. The man behind the counter looks kind of confused. He asks if I've taken the required course. Yes. He asks if I've applied for the permit. Yes. He asks where I'm getting my prints done. Sheriff's office. OK, here are your cards. You need two, but here's three in case one gets messed-up. Thanks, bye.
Back to the sheriff's office. Find the right room and clerk. Show her my ID, giver her $10. She gives me a receipt and sends me upstairs to get printed. I wait for a few minutes before the officer comes in.
Let me say one thing about all the people I have encountered so far. They are all very nice, professional, and friendly, just not forthcoming on information or advice. The office I meet with is also friendly and says he has no problem with the concealed carry of guns. We chat about guns while he's taking my prints. When finished, I ask him where am I supposed to send these. He doesn't know, but he thinks they should go back to the DL office.
With my fresh prints in hand, back to the DL office.
Man behind the counter says he can't accept them. I ask why. He says you have to turn them in with your application to be processed. I say that I wasn't advised of that. I say I was given a number to call and that is all. He says, yes, that number is to the company that has been contracted to do prints for the State. I say I understand, but the application clearly states that the prints may be taken by the Sheriff's office. He says he knows it says that but that it is not correct. I ask why didn't someone print that the fingerprints had to be turned in with the application on the application or just tell me. He doesn't know.
So I call the number again. The lady on the phone says that their company will be in my town again on January 20th. I make my appointment not even knowing if I'll be in town that day.
Here we go again.
This all could have been avoided. When I applied for my CHL in Texas, all the required paperwork was done as part of the class. At the end of the class, I put it all in the provided envelope with my check and mailed it. Nothing could be easier, except of course not requiring a permit.
Furthermore after all this mess, I still have a poor idea of where I am legally allowed to carry and where I can't.
Does Tennessee publish a book, like Texas does, that contains all the applicable laws and information for a Handgun Carry Permit? One would be very handy to have in my car. The internet site is good, but hard to carry everywhere.
Has anyone else had this much trouble? Have I done this to myself?
-end of frustrated rant.
Fly