Maryland's Finest?

[USSS FI]

So I'm a Maryland State Qualified Handgun Instructor License (QHIL) holder and currently in the process of renewing my wear/carry permit. One of new requirements for the wear/carry permit starting October 1st 2013 is that you are now required to take an 8 hour recertification course. (16 hour course for new applicants and good luck getting approved) Of course there is an exemption which one being "a Qualified Handgun Instructor" and does not need to take the training portion. (per MSP website) I sent my renewal application to MSP last week and low and behold, my application was sitting in my mailbox today when I got home from work.

I opened it up and there was a letter from MSP stating that my application was returned to me because (in short) " only Having a Handgun Qualification License (HQL) does not exempt me from the training requirement for the wear/carry permit". (Apparently the MSP doesn't even know the difference between an HQL and the QHIL) The person who returned the application to me even took the time to print out a page that states the new training requirement. But what that person didn't realize (in addition to me being exempted) was that the same page that they printed out, lists the 5 EXEMPTIONS, one of which being a "Qualified Handgun Instructor".

Now some of you may be thinking that I did not notify MSP of me having a QHIL, WRONG. I wrote a long paragraph explaining that I was in fact a QHIL holder and that per the MDSP.org website that I was exempted from this training and I even included my license number. Now this shows you just how incompetent the people that are processing our firearm paperwork really are and that the MSP don't even know their own state laws.

If you have ever called the people at the handgun permit division, they hate life and will do anything to get you off the phone. So what did I do, I called and sure enough this person sounded like they hated me before I opened my mouth. I stated that my application was returned to me for not taking the training requirement and that I was a QHIL holder and asked why my application was returned to me when I should be exempted from the training requirement. This person then proceeded to literally read me all of the exemptions starting with number 1. When they got to number 4, they slowed down and said "Qualified Handgun Instructor, oh that is on there". After a moment of letting that shock settle in, they said that I qualified for the exemption and they realized that one of their precious members (or themselves) of this elite division made a mistake and then they actually showed a glimpse of remorse although they never admitted to making a mistake. Did they fix the problem, NOPE, and I quote, "the person you need to speak with has left for the day, please call back tomorrow".

Maryland's Finest? More like "Maryland's Worst"

 

[stu929]

Awesome first post!

Take a breath and the enter key is your friend.

 

[USSS FI]

Thanks. Hate fuels the fire! lol

 

[SummitCnty]

Welcome aboard!

Paragraphs are easier on the eyes.

 

[USSS FI]

Thanks. I don't know why it took me so long to join.

 

[kgain673]

Do you happen to be a member of the USSS?

 

[USSS FI]

Former

 

[kgain673]

Retired?

 

[USSS FI]

nope, left of my own free will. Had enough.

 

[KH195]

Welcome! Speaking of carry permit renewals, mine is coming up soon. You offering the training classes at all? If so where are you located?

 

[USSS FI]

Thanks. I do offer both the initial and the renewal certifications for the wear/carry permit as well as the HQL training. The armed guard special police, railroad police and private detective firearms training I also offer. PM me for more info.

 

[DaemonAssassin]

^^^^ I'm curious about this too.

 

[USSS FI]

PM me for more info about any training you may need for MSP. I'm based out of Annapolis.

 

[miles71]

I've been kinda waiting for this.........


The exact question I asked when I got my certification as a QHI. I got the same "oh it does say that" from the MSP guy I spoke with. To me it almost reads like a g&s reason for a permit.......

Be interested to hear how this plays out, also how it effects the restrictions on the permit.

TD

 

[Blaster229]

Why don't you just carry under LEOSA?

 

[abean4187]

I feel so bad for people that carry in this state. You guys have to jump through so many unnecessary hoops just to protect yourself and exercise your rights. Still have no idea how May Issue is constitutional.

 

[Lou45]

Not sayin' this would have eliminated the problem but it might have been a good idea to include a photocopy of your QHIL with hand written underneath "see exemption #4". I know I will when it comes time.

 

[Blaster229]

Why don't you carry under LEOSA since you were USSS. Unless you weren't an 1811 or 1801.

 

[Inigoes]

Not sayin' this would have eliminated the problem but it might have been a good idea to include a photocopy of your QHIL with hand written underneath "see exemption #4". I know I will when it comes time.

The MSP doesn't like to follow rules, let alone any silly old law.

 

[trickg]

People are kidding themselves if they think that MSP gives a damn about "getting it right". I can guarantee you that these people are trained to DENY-DENY-DENY at the first hint that something may not be straightforward and then wait and see who presses the issue...then if they do, give them the run-around and have them dial a bunch of different numbers waiting to talk to someone who is never in the office, and when they finally are, they can't help you and refer you to someone else, etc.

The administration at large is hostile to civilian firearm ownership, but because of that pesky 2nd Amendment, they can't just ban everything. So they force it through a hopeless bureaucratic process and hope it gets lost in the shuffle and people just forget about it.

The SNAFU over the regulated firearms checks prior to the FSA implementation is a perfect example. You are, again, kidding yourself if you think that wasn't intentional. If it were for something they WANTED, like giving out driver licenses to illegal immigrants, they would have used some of MOM's numerous tax-hike revenues to staff up for the impending rush. Because it was "evil guns", though, they left the bottleneck in place intentionally, and then tried to kludge something into place when it started looking bad politically for them.

As soon as the OP called them, they immediately thought, "you want a gun + you had an issue with a form = you probably shouldn't have a gun anyway" and went into full-on bureaucratic obfuscation clusterf**k mode. Even though he managed to find SOMEONE who acknowledged the error, that person has now handed him off to a NEW person, who he will have to RE-convince of the error, somehow without engendering contempt in that person.

A buddy of mine tried to buy a handgun a while back and got flagged on the MSP background check because some thug-life with the same first and last name (rest of information omitted, but obviously different) got an assault charge. He had to make numerous calls to MSP, where the officers handling the case first assured them they would "take care of it" and then ignored it, and then when pressed became hostile to his persistence. (the "You can't have it because you want it so badly" attitude). Eventually he managed to get through to the DA prosecuting the thug-life and got it cleared up.

Remember, these people think, "if you want a gun that badly, you probably are too eager and are going to shoot someone, so you shouldn't have one anyway". They are trained to try to steer you into this kind of Catch-22. Proceed delicately...or get a good lawyer.

This is an awesome post. I'd like to, with your permission, to copy it and send it as a quote to the MSP to show them the general perception they have among the 2nd Amendment exercising community here in the state.