Question for Retired Officers...

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Speedo66

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I've been carrying solely on my HR218/LEOSA credentials, i.e., my retired ID and yearly qualification card.

Do you see any negatives to getting a state carry permit in addition? I don't consider fees an issue.

My thoughts are at some point it might be difficult to get re-certified, finding a qualified person to certify me. If I can't find someone else to do it, when my yearly card expires, I can no longer carry.

Other thought was at some point if I get old enough, I may lose the ability to qualify to the high standard for active police officers, even if I'm still fairly competent otherwise.

Negative would be at this point I'm off the radar as to who knows I own or carry a handgun, that would change with a state permit.

Please share your insight and experience.

I've noticed discussion on topics such as this often brings out negative comments from non LEO's, please be High Road.
 
I don't think the person qualifying me, a certified instructor but private party, forwards the certifications to any state agency.

My card has his phone number on it to call if the info needs to be verified.
 
First of all, Thank You for your service in LE!

I would vote to get the concealed carry permit. It sounds like getting recertified to Police standards may eventually become difficult. And in this day and age I doubt if anyone is truly off of the radar.
 
What Jenrick said. I have both. The only problem with getting qualified under LEOSA, at least in Montana, is there is only one agency that will do it. And that may last only as long as the current Sheriff. One other agency quit qualifying when the new sheriff took over. Then I'll be paddling up Schitts Creek.
 
As a lay person would not your home states policy on issuing a CCW be the deciding factor. Also where it me I’d do both until as mentioned age became a factor. For example my Florida CCW carries no qualifications requirements for renewal and is simply done online if desired.
 
I am not a retired or working LEO, but after reading this thread it seems to me having a state permit in addition to the LEOSA card would be best. Your state permit would be good for years with no need to qualify annually. If for some reason you could not even attempt to qualify you can still legally carry. Also, you just do not know what changes IWB or new regulation might adopted for maintaining the LEOSA permit. LEOS are under pressure right nine and for some rime into the future. I can see the anti gun folks calling for changes in the federal law/regulations. If you have the LEOSA and a state permit it is like wearing a belt and suspenders. Your pant are unlikely to fall down.
 
I've been carrying solely on my HR218/LEOSA credentials, i.e., my retired ID and yearly qualification card.

Do you see any negatives to getting a state carry permit in addition? I don't consider fees an issue.

My thoughts are at some point it might be difficult to get re-certified, finding a qualified person to certify me. If I can't find someone else to do it, when my yearly card expires, I can no longer carry.

Other thought was at some point if I get old enough, I may lose the ability to qualify to the high standard for active police officers, even if I'm still fairly competent otherwise.


Negative would be at this point I'm off the radar as to who knows I own or carry a handgun, that would change with a state permit.

Please share your insight and experience.

I've noticed discussion on topics such as this often brings out negative comments from non LEO's, please be High Road.

Don't think you are off the radar. Databases are what they are, and are instantly retrievable. I just got a state permit before I retired,and never looked back. Four years now, no problem.
 
I wouldn’t see a downside to getting a state permit to use in addition to LEOSA. There are probably different rules between what a permit holder and a retired LEO can do, so I’d recommend brushing up on those if you go that route.

and I also agree with JeffG - you are in no way “under the radar” right now. You visit and post here, and I’m sure you’ve purchased firearms at a FFL or have credit card transactions at a FFL (ammo, accessories), or are on an email distribution list related to firearms. Plus, being a former LEO it’s almost guaranteed that you would have some sort of firearm, or at minimum be on the list of possibilities.

Anyway, unless you’ve taken a bunch of precautions and have never slipped up in regards to correlation attacks, you’re already on a list (like the rest of us).
 
I've been carrying solely on my HR218/LEOSA credentials, i.e., my retired ID and yearly qualification card.

Do you see any negatives to getting a state carry permit in addition? I don't consider fees an issue.

My thoughts are at some point it might be difficult to get re-certified, finding a qualified person to certify me. If I can't find someone else to do it, when my yearly card expires, I can no longer carry.

Other thought was at some point if I get old enough, I may lose the ability to qualify to the high standard for active police officers, even if I'm still fairly competent otherwise.

Negative would be at this point I'm off the radar as to who knows I own or carry a handgun, that would change with a state permit.

Please share your insight and experience.

I've noticed discussion on topics such as this often brings out negative comments from non LEO's, please be High Road.

Retired here 13 years and just about to turn 73.
I shoot OFTEN [ mostly pistol and taught that too ] and I have a state permit that I have had since 1977,long before I was an LEO.
I am of the EXTREMELY FIRM opinion that ,if you can get the LEOSA/ HR218 qual ,even if you need to go a long way ONCE A YEAR = do it.
I travel out of state OFTEN and I drive.
So its a no brainer for me.
If I get to where I cannot do a qual,I might consider getting rid of the pistols and go shotgun/carbine.
I still score a 100% with ANY pistol I own.
If your squeemish about your HR218 thing,then by all means get a CCW permit in your state.
 
I have been retired for some time now and HR 218 came in later. When I retired I just went out and got my CCW which is good for 5 years and no qualifications. When HR 218 came around I figured why get that and spend the money every year to qualify! I don't know how the HR @!* card is in states like Maryland, New York or Cali.
 
Since retirement I have both. Belt and suspender theory. There are times when I choose not to carry badge/creds/state card but I always carry my wallet with CCW license in it. Also my state license isn't good in a couple of states that I have relatives and friends so LEOSA is a must. There's no downside to having both. If your LEOSA expired while the ranges were closed (mine just closed for a few days because one of the RSOs tested positive) then you're S.O.L. My CCW has a 7 year longevity and I can renew via U.S. Mail. I just make sure that they won't expire at the same time.
 
Retired from a dept in Massachusetts in 1990 and immediately moved to Virginia on the Carolina line to be closer to wife's fantastic family. ( my family is either dead or dead to me)
Not currently doing the Leosa thing, (don't see the need) and just have a State CCW.
I have reciprocity with all the surrounding states except MD, and I don't go there, nobody should. I'm good in NC and SC, so I'm good to go.
My son moved to NC, and one of my daughter's is here, Grand kids are close! The one daughter still in MASSACHUSETTS will retire, from the PD in 2021_and will move here! Life is good.
 
I'm not LE and never was but my thinking is that it is best to have as many options as possible. I would certainly retain the LEOSA no matter what, too many restrictions on a typical permit. The state permit would be useful in case you do lapse a little bit on the other permit, just to fill in the gaps that could happen.
 
I retired 7 years ago and have a 218 card as well as the Departments retired card which is good for 5 years at a time and no qualification required. Last I checked the Retired ID card from California is good in about 17 states. Moving at the end of the year to Idaho which is Constitutional state (Open or concealed without a permit). Some agencies will let qualify for the 218 card, or a trip to CA to re-qualify.
 
Do you see any negatives to getting a state carry permit in addition? I don't consider fees an issue.
I am getting close to retirement, but I have always maintained a state license.

Figured that if I had to employ a carry gun off-duty, chances would be 90% or more that it'd be in self-defense, defense of my family or home -- I'm just wanting to be another citizen in that case.

The way things are these days, I sure wouldn't want an over-zealous prosecutor (or plaintiff's attorney in a civil matter), in the event the outcome wasn't so clear-cut -- and they usually aren't -- to be painting me as some type of firearms expert/expert shooter/someone who should know better. Hell, as a former tac team guy and firearms instructor I could be cooked. For any LEO or retired LEO, you could conceivably be held to a much higher standard, which just might not work in your favor.

My thoughts are at some point it might be difficult to get re-certified, finding a qualified person to certify me. If I can't find someone else to do it, when my yearly card expires, I can no longer carry.
This is now a huge consideration where I'm currently residing, and I can only imagine what it's like in more rural states with less population centers. The number of agencies that offer LEOSA re-cert is not great, and going through the state LE academy here can be a PITA. There's a lot of research, scheduling, sometimes some travel, paperwork, waiting and it appears that there a a few states that seem to make it as difficult as possible.

I'll keep LEOSA as I have family in NY, Illinois and California, but otherwise my home state license, FL and UT licenses cover me about nationwide.
 
I retired 2 1/2 years ago and only have my LEOSA qualification since it covers me everywhere. I do see the benefit of obtaining a CCW to cover a possible gap in maintaining a LEOSA qualification. If that happened to me I could still carry since my state went constitution carry seven years ago but I would not be covered out of state.
 
I retired out in 1995 (don't think LEOSA was in force then) and a state permit was part of my retirement package. I renew my permit every five years to keep it active - but I haven't carried a sidearm even once in all those years since... .It is handy if you need to make a gun purchase though. I've kept the permit active on the off chance that I'd need to take another job requiring a license but that's never been the case these past 25 years...

The state permit here in Florida has no qualification requirement at all by the way...
 
There are advantages to the LEOSA deal. It is valid in all states and in some cases allows you to carry where a state permit would not.

There are minor advantages to a LTC in some states as you can skip the background check when buying a gun.

It also might be convenient in some cases not to show the LEOSA card if necessary, but rather show the LTC card.

It gives options.
 
I have been retired for some time now and HR 218 came in later. When I retired I just went out and got my CCW which is good for 5 years and no qualifications. When HR 218 came around I figured why get that and spend the money every year to qualify! I don't know how the HR @!* card is in states like Maryland, New York or Cali.
If you want to CCW in NYS = you needed to get & keep up your HR218.

Unless you reside in this state AND retired as an LEO,then you would be gtg.
 
I carry both. Since all qualification for retired and active LEO's has been postponed, I don't know when I will be able to re-certify under LEOSA. The certifying agency has told me not to worry about it. Just produce your credentials. I keep the State card up to date anyway.
 
Thanks to all for your collective wisdom!

The idea of not being able to find someone to qualify me in the future did it, I decided to get the permit. This is a must issue state so getting it shouldn't be a problem.

It's done through the county sheriff's office, by appt. Earliest at this point is the end of Sept., so I'm on for the 29th.

The state requires you to take a training course, looks like I'll be OK with my current HR218 qualification.

Again, thanks for the polite insightful responses!

Edit: My plan is to also continue qualifying for HR218 as long as I can find an instructor or I'm still able to meet the shooting requirement.
 
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