In Colorado you can pack heat openly, without being a criminal for carrying a legally owned firearm. Wonderful.
But, Political Correctness dictates that we conceal our weapons from the sheeple, while we the sheedogs carry to protect everyone from the wolves. Why, we'd be having the police called constantly about a "Man With Gun!" if we venture into the liberal confines of Denver/Boulder. Makes you want to ask, "What's the fastest growing city in Colorado?" Answer, "San Francisco."
Oh well. Besides, why would I want to alert the bad guys that I am carrying a weapon, and that I am their first target to take out before they start their crime spree. So, when I moved to Colorado in 1991 I discovered that concealed weapon permits were only issued at the discretion of the local sherriff. Everyone told me that chances were slim for getting one, so I didn't bother trying.
Then, I discovered that my new girlfriend's step father had been molesting her, and at 19 years of age she wanted to leave home, so I gave her a place to stay. Within 24 hours he discovered where she was staying and snuck into my apartment building and began pounding on my door demanding to be let inside, threatening bodily harm to me if I didn't open the door. I stood between my girlfriend and the door, inside my apartment, with a drawn pistol pointed and waiting for the door to cave in. Over the next day he left more threats on my answering machine, until out of fear for my safety she left to move back home, but made plans to attend college in another state.
I immediately started application for a concealed handgun permit, and had letters of reference written for me, only to have the sherriff deny my application for inadequate reason to carry. What was remarkable was that as a physician just out of residency, my reasons included not only the threats against myself, but the fact that I was often at the office late at night to meet sick patients and may be a target by drug users. It did no good. I began looking for another place to live.
I started a new medical practice in a small town a few months later, and after writing many pro-law enforcement/pro-firearms letters to the local newspaper I then became the target of gang grafitti taggers. I became a life member of the NRA, joined a local gun club, and studiedup on reasonable use of a firearm in self defence. I became a prominent member of the local community, serving on various boards for social service, headstart, pregnancy centers and church. This helped me get a concealed weapons permit from the local police chief in 1994 which was renewed in 1998. Only once, in 1995, did I have to draw my weapon, which was when I came home unexpectedly in the middle of the day and interupted a burglary but was locked out of my house by the intruders (who were caught later).
When my permit expired again in 2002 the police chief was no longer in office, and I had moved again and didn't immediately seek a renewal. When I discovered that the local sherriff was a proponant of concealed carry, I did apply again and was granted a 4 year permit in January 2003, just before the "shall issue" carry law came into effect. Now, in Colorado, the local sherriff MUST issue a permit to all qualified applicants, and our permit is valid in 24 states!
In the 3 years since we have had "shall issue" permits, there has only been ONE incident that I know of stemming from inappropriate use of a concealed firearm by a permit holder, and he was acquitted by the grand jury for self defence (despite the fact that he did not attempt to defuse the situation arising form a fight over a parking lot ding).
I have been teaching my children firearm safety, and they respect the guns we own while enjoying their time at the shooting range. I post on several internet forums as ColoradoPacker, because I am "packing heat". Hence, the user name. Thankfully I have never had to fire my weapon at another person, but I appreciate the comfort it brings me to know that I can protect my wife and children in the event that we do become the target of crime someday.
