Question on the big picture here. If a CLEO is charged with determining "suitability" of a LTC candidate, shouldn't they be able to request whatever they feel helps them do that?
IF, there were some standard defined in which to gauge that suitability, I would agree that asking to show 'proof' of meeting that standard would be allowed. However, there is no standard, so a person in one location will be judged differently than one in another. This does not comply with the law which requires the Dept of Public Safety to produce a "Standard" application.
Are there any statutes that would prohibit them from requiring (fill in the blank)? Or should the lack of specific authority in the existing statutes automatically restrict them from adding their own requirements?
No, there isn't anything in the law that sets a limit. Nor is there anything by which you could set a standard of "suitability".
In a fiefdom like Meninostan, only politically connected people are "Suitable" for the most part. While the a very average person in a small town is pretty much issued an unrestricted permit if the background comes back clean with no disqualifiers.
Under a system of government as we are supposed to have, people should not be judged differently based on anything to do with who or where they are.
The issue isn't so much that CoPs are asking for these things, but that by doing so, they create different standards than the rest of the state. Only the Dept of Public Safety is given that power by the legislation.
In other words, the CoP does not have the authority to request additional information than the DPS requires since:
1) There is NO STANDARD to which the CoP is expected to judge a citizen in terms of "suitability" which would require the additional items.
2) There is no authority granted to the CoP to alter the application process defined by the DPS.
The fact that this is occurring is thought by many to be illegal.