My hometown has a problem, apparently...

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Trey Veston

Trey Veston

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Heard on the news that there are apparently so many issues with new gun owners having accidental discharges, that the local PD is going to offer classes on gun safety.

I had noticed a couple of stories about accidental discharges the past year or so, and one guy I knew from work shot off his pinky. But he is a bit slow so that was not surprising.

What is surprising is that the PD is only allowing those that had incidents to attend the classes. I had no idea that there were so many incidents that they could fill a classroom with offenders.

https://www.bigcountrynewsconnectio...cle_e56639e8-8754-11eb-8366-dbd238e78345.html

MOSCOW - This spring, the Moscow Police Department is preparing to offer a firearms safety course that will be available to those who have been involved in or charged with a weapons related offense, such as an accidental discharge, within the Moscow city limits.

Each case will be reviewed by the City of Moscow city prosecutor and city attorney who will determine if the individual meets the required criteria to be referred to the course.

***The firearm safety program is currently not open for public enrollment***

The three-hour class is intended to teach proper gun handling and operation techniques and will give the individual the opportunity to have their charges reduced or dismissed.

MPD Officer Kris Bragg will be instructing the course alongside a certified firearms instructor. The course will cover proper unloading, loading, cleaning and carrying techniques. It will also cover City of Moscow and State of Idaho firearm laws.

In order to complete the course successfully the individual(s) will be required to show their proficiency in handling a firearm and pass a written exam, covering the course topics.
 
I can’t understand how one can be so careless. A negligent discharge is on the same page as sticking your arm in a piece of running equipment. When it comes to making mistakes with a firearm you are lucky if you get a second chance. One mistake could be your last. It just blows me away to think that people are so lax with respect of the tool to the point of shooting themselves.
 
Out of curiosity how restricted is Idaho in regards to guns? Just wondering if a lack of exposure and heritage is at work on the newer generations?
 
Seems a shame to limit it to prior offenders. You would think it would be better to head off the problem before it occurred.
Click to expand...
WADR ... seems like a great idea. Would it be better to offer it to new firearms owners? Suure. Can a small town devote the time and resources? Hmmm maybe, perhaps not.
A small community offers a solution to NOT repeating a ND. What have I seen? 7? ... 8? million new gun owners/ Who is responsible for their education? Them, certainly. Proactive education? I wish it could be so. Now, a town offers a no-victim alternative education?

Well anyway ... small steps in a small community. I applaud that.

-jb, in a small community
 
They seem to be offering a way to both educate and reduce charges which might ordinarily apply. That has to be something positive instead of a fine or worse. If they open the class to the general public I think they'd be overrun with applications. But yeah, you'd think people would be careful with something like a firearm... or a power tool, or a ladder....
 
I feel like there may be some privacy concerns about limiting it to people generally labeled as dunces in this scenario. Essentially the invite reads “if you were stupid enough to do X Y or Z then come on down and get your learning”. I am suprised that the premise has survived as long as it has for traffic school which this seems to be modeled after, however this is for a much more serious offense than going 40 in the 25 zone that is not even labeled as a 25 zone...
 
Bacon buster said:
Out of curiosity how restricted is Idaho in regards to guns? Just wondering if a lack of exposure and heritage is at work on the newer generations?
Click to expand...

Idaho is one of the most lax states in the Union with Constitutional carry, shall issue CCW, open carry, etc.

However, that area has been flooded with immigrants from California and other less-free states. It's so bad, that there are currently only 12 homes listed for sale, with the prices ranging from $300k to $2.5 million. My folks live there and their monthly taxes are higher than my mortgage.

So, with a ton of people moving in from anti-gun states, and most of them buying guns for the first time, and Idaho being constitutional carry with no class requirements, it is a recipe for accidents.
 
On the face of it, it seems like a good idea. Would be a better idea to be proactive if opened to all, but maybe that would involve more resources than they have. Curious as to what happens if someone doesn't complete the course successfully.
 
Trey Veston said:
...is preparing to offer a firearms safety course that will be available to those who have been involved in or charged with a weapons related offense, such as an accidental discharge, within the Moscow city limits.

Each case will be reviewed by the City of Moscow city prosecutor...
Click to expand...

I have to have been charged with a crime or have my “case” reviewed by a prosecutor? Umm, no thank you.
 
Bacon buster said:
Out of curiosity how restricted is Idaho in regards to guns? Just wondering if a lack of exposure and heritage is at work on the newer generations?
Click to expand...
Millennials thing everything is for joke and play and for social media, Safety is the most important thing.
 
There is a lot of look at this look at that show off crap and oh check out this trick I’m so cool ...... bang.. 911 what’s your emergency. I have never seen the desire for attention whether good or bad as I do with kids these days. All about show. In reality a truly competent person knows better than to show out because that’s how accidents happen.
 
MOSCOW - This spring, the Moscow Police Department is preparing to offer a firearms safety course that will be available to those who have been involved in or charged with a weapons related offense, such as an accidental discharge, within the Moscow city limits.

Each case will be reviewed by the City of Moscow city prosecutor and city attorney who will determine if the individual meets the required criteria to be referred to the course.
Click to expand...

Sounds like traffic school for people who have had ADs.
I would prefer to see a class offered to head of the problem (note: offered not required) but maybe it is a way for those who made a mistake or had an accident to get the firearms charge removed from their record or fine reduced.
The way the OP reads to me the class is not required by the people who had an AD etc. but offered as a way to reduce the charge/fine, it did not seem to me like the class was mandatory training.
If it is voluntary it is probably a good thing, if it is mandatory it is not.
 
I'm reading it as a voluntary class that results in a reduced or dismissed charge and I think it's a good idea. Most of these people probably never set out to do something reckless or dangerous. They only firearm knowledge they have is based on what they see on tv which is mostly garbage. If you've never been trained or been told the importance of training then it's easy to see how one might take it more casually than they should.
 
I believe the prosecutor reviews it because it's already being considered for some sort of prosecution. The prosecutor is probably reviewing the case to determine if safety training is an acceptable alternative to prosecution. I don't think people are turning themselves in for accidental discharges that no one would ever know about.
 
“Each case will be reviewed by the city prosecutor and city attorney who will determine if that individual meets the required criteria to be referee to the course.”

Sounds like self incrimination.
 
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