MA LTC recommendation letter suggestions?

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Hello NES,

MA resident who is trying his best to help friends, family and neighbors get licensed.

My wife and I have agreed to write letters for several people, but I was wondering if there were any suggestions on what should be put in the recommendation to help ease the process.

The recommendations are for folks in a 'green' town that have recently (in the past few years) moved into the state.

I have spent a lot of time with these folks & have even taken them out to the range & am satisfied with their handling of firearms.

TIA for any assistance.
 
Your post makes an excellent letter
Hello NES,

MA resident who is trying his best to help friends, family and neighbors get licensed.

My wife and I have agreed to write letters for several people, but I was wondering if there were any suggestions on what should be put in the recommendation to help ease the process.

The recommendations are for folks in a 'green' town that have recently (in the past few years) moved into the state.

I have spent a lot of time with these folks & have even taken them out to the range & am satisfied with their handling of firearms.

TIA for any assistance.

The bold part should do it.
 
Well, the intent of the letter is ostensibly to let the LO know that the applicant is of sound mind and character. Additionally, the trip to the range is a nice touch.

In all seriousness, the letters that I've written were ,more or less:


Dear Cops.

I have known Mr./Ms. Wannashoot for [insert period of time], and have found them to exhibit sound judgement at all times.

Additionally, I have seen the applicant handle firearms, and have found them to be knowledgeable and safe while doing so.

Regards.

MisterHappy
[alphabet soup from my sig lines]

They're looking to see if the person is so much of a Richard Cranium that they can't get two people to write a letter.

I have never been contacted, by the way.
 
I appreciate that, but something inside me wants to make it the best letter possible. Bit of a tin foil perfectionist if that makes any sense...
Get over it. The letters you are going to right are not pivotal in any sense. They're not going to be graded on your letter and neither will you. That fact that you (and probably your friends) are so concerned about only supports my belief that the only purpose behind this requirement is to have a chilling effect on the exercise of constitutionally protected conduct.

If your friends had any cojones at all they'd contact Comm2A and tell the Chief that they're not comfortable talking to other people about their desire to own guns.

Baring that, keep your letter succinct. This is all you need to, or should write:
I have know so-and-so for x years as a friend and neighbor (co-worker, etc).) I've always found so-and-so to be a decent, fair and upstanding member of the community. I have no reason to consider so-and-so's character to be anything other than the finest. Also, I have no reason to believe that so-and-so will not continue to be a safe and responsible owner of firearms
If you really want to write a good letter, you can add the following:
I’d like to take advantage of this opportunity to point out some of the issues with imposing non-statutory requirements, such as reference letters, on people applying for a firearms license and why you should discontinue this practice.

First, there is no statutory justification for imposing this requirement. Your discretionary authority with respect to determining an applicant’s ‘suitability’ to be licensed is constrained by factors that present a ‘risk to public safety’. The relationships between this pro-forma requirement and public safety is tenuous at best.

For many people, the decision to own firearms is private and personal. By requiring firearms license applicants to provide reference letters you are forcing them to do something that, by statute, you are prohibited from doing - disclosing to third parties that they are, or want to hold a firearms license.

Reference letters are a meaningless burden as no qualified applicant will submit a negative reference letter.

Finally, non-statutory requirements such as reference letters increase the burden and effort required on someone wishing to be a gun owner in the Commonwealth. This unnecessary burden carries with it the effect of dissuading otherwise qualified and responsible individuals from applying for a firearms license through your department. Such nonessential requirements serve no legitimate purpose and carry with them a potential chilling effect on the legitimate exercise of an enumerated right.

For these reasons, I would encourage you, in the strongest possible terms, to discontinue the practice of requiring applicants for a firearms license to provide letters from third partied referencing their good character.
I wrote this exact letter for someone a few months ago and a copy went to the chief and the town's counsel. Nothing happened. My friend got his LTC a few weeks later. Seriously, what's the police going to do? Deny someone an LTC because their reference was an ass-hole?
 
Get over it. The letters you are going to right are not pivotal in any sense. They're not going to be graded on your letter and neither will you. That fact that you (and probably your friends) are so concerned about only supports my belief that the only purpose behind this requirement is to have a chilling effect on the exercise of constitutionally protected conduct.

If your friends had any cojones at all they'd contact Comm2A and tell the Chief that they're not comfortable talking to other people about their desire to own guns.

Baring that, keep your letter succinct. This is all you need to, or should write:

If you really want to write a good letter, you can add the following: I wrote this exact letter for someone a few months ago and a copy went to the chief and the town's counsel. Nothing happened. My friend got his LTC a few weeks later.

Thank you. I know I'm a bit of a pendant. But, in this state I want to err on the side of caution. That said, you are probably right & I am over-thinking this.
 
I actually don't think you are over thinking it and it worthwhile getting it right the first time to save the hassle of restrictions or having restrictions removed.

I think Knuckledragger's letter is pretty much spot on except I would leave out the "I have no reason to" and just state your praise of his/her character, his/her competence with firearms. I have also added sentences like "Johnny Joe Joe Jr is an outgoing person with a great sense of humor and is very close with his family or community blah blah". Simply to add a personal touch and to give them an impression that the applicant is a real person. Also ending with something like:
I have the utmost confidence in Johnny Joe Joe Jr's capability to safely and responsibly own and operate firearms and fully endorse his application for a Class A permit for all lawful purposes.

Also I recommend reading the applicants letter and make sure that they build the letter around ALL LAWFUL PURPOSES (self defense, defense of family, life, and liberty) and they don't shoot themselves in the foot saying that they want a gun for target practice and hunting.
 
Get over it. The letters you are going to right are not pivotal in any sense. They're not going to be graded on your letter and neither will you. That fact that you (and probably your friends) are so concerned about only supports my belief that the only purpose behind this requirement is to have a chilling effect on the exercise of constitutionally protected conduct.

If your friends had any cojones at all they'd contact Comm2A and tell the Chief that they're not comfortable talking to other people about their desire to own guns.

This is a new-to-me stance that I will pass on to new shooters. Not as many new shooters in my life as there once were. I will pass this on.

Thanks, again. Matt
 
Since I have moved to a free state a year and a half ago, I read this stuff now and makes me so glad I left that place. Needed to renew my FL LTC and walked in and out in 5 minutes with a new license and only $45 fee. Lady was polite and helpful and I felt she was on my side.
 
Get over it. The letters you are going to right are not pivotal in any sense. They're not going to be graded on your letter and neither will you. That fact that you (and probably your friends) are so concerned about only supports my belief that the only purpose behind this requirement is to have a chilling effect on the exercise of constitutionally protected conduct.

If your friends had any cojones at all they'd contact Comm2A and tell the Chief that they're not comfortable talking to other people about their desire to own guns.

Baring that, keep your letter succinct. This is all you need to, or should write:

If you really want to write a good letter, you can add the following: I wrote this exact letter for someone a few months ago and a copy went to the chief and the town's counsel. Nothing happened. My friend got his LTC a few weeks later. Seriously, what's the police going to do? Deny someone an LTC because their reference was an ass-hole?

This should be a sticky- so well said .
 
Lots of good info from MisterHappy and Knuckle Dragger.

Really don't over think it. I'm pretty sure that they won't be read in most cases. Even if they are, the LO most likely won't bother to contact the writer or use it as a reason to deny a license. I sincerely doubt most PDs even contact references unless some extenuating circumstances come up. I know for a fact that they didn't contact mine.
 
I never had to write any stinking letter. Guess I am one of the lucky ones. Now that I am over 70, I get the LTC for free....
 
Since I have moved to a free state a year and a half ago, I read this stuff now and makes me so glad I left that place. Needed to renew my FL LTC and walked in and out in 5 minutes with a new license and only $45 fee. Lady was polite and helpful and I felt she was on my side.

You got that right!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
 
Dear dirtbag,

Please allow my friend to exercise his god given right. He / she needs to ask your permission to f*** bitches and get money in this stupid state.

Eat a bag of dicks,
Op

Works like a charm
 
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