question about registering pistol with campus Police

[pacerdude]

First off Mods, I am not sure if this is the right forum for this post. If it is in the wrong forum, please move it.

Secondly, today I went to orientation for the college that I will be transferring to, to complete my B.A., and one of the rules was that in addition to the regular rules, that obviously that no weapons (ie. firearms, knives, explosives etc...) are to be allowed on campus at all. However, the presenter, then clarified his point about firearms by saying that under a new Georgia Law, students and faculty are allowed to keep there firearms locked inside their vehicles. The only caveat being that we must register our pistol with the Campus Police department.

The question I have is that I do not yet have my CCW permit, I am 22 but until this paycheck have been unable to afford it. So should I wait until I have my CCW permit before I register the pistol with Campus Police? Secondly should I have any concerns with registering my pistol with campus police?

I do not want to break the rules or the law by not registering the pistol with police, if I do not register the pistol with them then I will not have it on campus. However I will be commuting from my parents house on one side of metro ATL to another side of ATL and would feel better armed.

Also in Georgia it will take about 6 weeks to get the permit, once I apply for it.

I apologize for the drawn out post!

 

[NavyLCDR]

Having your firearms license is going to make no difference in registering your pistol with campus police. Either you register or you don't. If you don't register and you have it on campus you will be expelled from the school if they find it, regardless of if you have a firearms license or not.

You can carry your firearm on your person in your car if you are eligible for a Georgia firearms license, whether or not you have one. So I just don't see the difference is registering now or later. It all depends on how important it is to carry your firearm in your vehicle on campus.

 

[InkEd]

You don't live on campus and plan to leave it in your car (better lock it up in the trunk), I don't see a reason since it doesn't really have anything to do with them.

 

[pacerdude]

NavyLT and InkED thanks for the response, if I don't register the pistol then I wont have it in my car. I was just worried that the Campus Police would be less likely to okay the registration since I don't have my CCW permit yet. Do you see anyway that registering the pistol could backfire on me, no pun intended. Again, I will not carry the pistol with me in the vehicle until it is registered.

Also would they have a basis for periodically searching the car to check on whether or not the pistol is locked up to their "standards"? I don't exactly want them to go through my car whenever the urge might strike them to check on the status of my pistol. And yes, I realize that I sound completely paranoid.

 

[NavyLCDR]

Depends on your agreement when you enter the campus. As a condition of entry, you may already have consented to searches.

How can they deny registration of a pistol? It's not permission to transport/store the gun, it's letting them know that you have one.

The only "backfire" could be that you could be viewed with more scrutiny if you have a run in with campus police, during a traffic stop, on campus party, etc.

Every person in the Navy who has firearms in government provided housing must register their guns with base police. I have registered mine with base police before and never had any problems.

 

[bfdhud]

If you lock it in your car, and lock your car, and leave it there. I really see no reason for the campus police to know about it.

It honestly isn't their business if you have a gun in your car, you aren't taking it to class or showing it off.

This is one of those situation where I would say this is a need to know thing, and the campus police don't need to know.

NavyLT. The reason you register with the base is if for some reason they have to respond to your house, say you get a domestic violence complaint. They will let the responding officer know and it keeps everyone safe.

Otherwise that information is locked away and no one cares.

Campus police should not be responding to your car, unless for example you get locked out or car gets broken into. If the latter happens guns probably gone anyway, if the former happens they unlock the car, gun stays in glove box, they don't know, everyone is happy.

Having to register a gun with a police department that doesn't have much authority outside of the campus seems ridiculous. Seems big brotherish.

 

[Demarko]

If someone breaks into your car, and you report it stolen... Are you risking expulsion because someone broke into your car? If the answer is yes, then you probably don't want to risk getting kicked out of school for something out of your control.

 

[bfdhud]

I never said it wasn't risky, or that it was right. It's just my personal belief that they don't need to know.

I got around this dilemma by not parking on campus. I park just outside and walk to my classes. My carry stays in the glove box for 3 hours a day.

 

[pacerdude]

Thanks for the responses guys, I guess I will register the pistol with campus police next week.

 

[Shadow 7D]

I would contact your local chapter of Students for Concealed Carry on campus.
They should be able to help you.

 

[NavyLCDR]

NavyLT. The reason you register with the base is if for some reason they have to respond to your house, say you get a domestic violence complaint. They will let the responding officer know and it keeps everyone safe.

So, then, do you think that firearms should be registered everywhere "to keep everyone safe"?

 

[pacerdude]

Bfdhud, unfortunately parking off campus is not an option for me. Other than the campus there would be nowhere else to park within any considerable walking distance.

Shadow, I will look into students for CCW on campus, but we had an bill up recently in the GA state legislature to allow CCW permit holders to carry on college campuses and it was not approved by the Governor .

 

[bfdhud]

I assume you're a LT in the Navy, You should know rules on base don't necessarily have an off base equivalent.

When I moved to a new base, I had to drive directly to the base armory and register and store them there.

Pacer, If there isn't any way to get around it, your safest bet is to follow the rules.

I guess when I move to a new city I should drive straight to the police station and register / store my firearms there.

 

[NavyLCDR]

I assume you're a LT in the Navy, You should know rules on base don't necessarily have an off base equivalent.

Well, put it this way.... I don't agree that gun registration makes anyone safer, on base or off base, on campus or off campus. All gun registration does is place more restrictions on those that are going to obey the law anyway.