I received this information in an email sent by the NRA. I spent quite a few years in Bloomington, it was a beautiful place and great school but a bastion of liberal ideals (like many college campuses, I suppose). I was curious about the database and have provided some Q&A from one of the reporters responsible for this project. My neighbor (in MA) said our city tried to do something similar a few years back, but people put a stop to their efforts. Unfortunately, you cannot access the database without a subscription to the paper. Although they don't reveal anyone's name, specifically, this seems to be a slippery slope that would best be avoided. I was somewhat surprised by this story as Indiana was a very gun-friendly state, relatively speaking.
http://www.heraldtimesonline.com/stories/2009/12/01/news.688226.sto
The NRA website has more and contact information for the Times' editors, should you wish to share your thoughts on this topic. I have included it below:
http://www.nraila.org/Legislation/Read.aspx?ID=5234
E. Mayer Maloney Jr., Publisher
(812) 331-4251
[email protected]
Scott Schurz, Sunday Hoosier Times/Editor-in-Chief
(812) 331-4250
[email protected]
Bob Zaltsberg, Editor
(812) 331-4364
[email protected]
Andrea Murray, Managing Editor
(812) 331-4351
[email protected]
Bill Strother, Assistant Managing Editor
(812) 331-4265
[email protected]
Todd Davidson, Digital Media Director
(812) 349-1415
[email protected]
=============
MODERATOR: Good morning everyone, thanks for joining us. We're here with reporter Michael Malik to talk about his two-day series on Indiana handgun permits, as well as the Indiana handguns permit database on HTO. Feel free to send your questions about his series, and some of the information he learned while reporting these stories.
• One in 26 Monroe County residents has a permit to carry handguns
• Rise in gun sales blamed on ‘Obama factor’
• Search more than 318,000 handgun permit holders in Indiana
With that, Mike, are you ready to get started?
MICHAEL MALIK: Good morning Moderator and everyone. Yes, I'm all set. Let's get started.
QUESTION: Are you planning to identify those who have permits? If so that seems to be on the reckless and endangering proposition. For example the unfortunate lady in Washington state who was beaten and raped due to the police acting on an anonymous tip from her attackers!
jerry, bloomington
MICHAEL MALIK: Jerry,
Thanks very much for the question. No, the H-T is not going to identify specific people who have permits. The database is searchable by street name, city and county. No one's name or exact address will appear in our database. That was a decision we arrived at after a lengthy discussion in the newsroom because the original database from the Indiana State Police does include specific names and addresses of all permit holders within Indiana.
I encourage you to check out the database at http://www.heraldtimesonline.com/data/gun_permits
QUESTION: Have there been any recent studies tracking increased gun sales or increases in carry permits with crime statistics?
Janet Howell, Bloomington
MICHAEL MALIK: Janet,
Thanks for your question. I'm not aware of any recent studies tracking increased gun sales or increases in carry permits as it relates to crime statistics — I'm sure there are some out there. However, you can go to the U.S. Department of Justice Bureau of Labor Statistics Web site — I'll include the link below — to find information about crime in a specific area. As far as the rise in gun sales go, here's a fact from the FBI that was included in one of my stories: "The FBI’s National Instant Criminal Background Check System reported that 6.1 million background checks for gun sales were issued from January to May, an increase of 25.6 percent from the same period the year before, according to an Associated Press report."
Here is the DOJ Web site: http://bjsdata.ojp.usdoj.gov/dataonline/Search/Crime/Local/LocalCrime.cfm
QUESTION: Thinking outside the box. Why get a Gun Permit to begin with? Are we not supposedly guaranteed by the Constitution the right to bare arms?
DKC, Ellettsville
MICHAEL MALIK: DKC,
That's a very insightful question. Thanks for it. Indiana law requires a handgun permit for anyone who wants to carry a handgun in public or wants to transport a handgun from a home or place of business to a range or a hunting area.
Within Indiana, a person does not have to have a permit to buy a handgun or to keep the handgun in his or her home or place of business. Also, Indiana honors handgun permits from all other states.
QUESTION: Why do they release the information in such detail, including the street or road?
why does anyone but the state police or other law enforcement agency need to know who has a carry permit? Do you have a carry permit, and do you want your's listed if you do? thanks...
joe, orleans
MICHAEL MALIK: Joe,
Thanks for your questions. No, I do not have a carry permit and, therefore, would not appear in the database.
As far as why people need to know this information, I'm not sure. You'd have to ask people who searched the database why they did so. I know I searched my street name to see how many people on my street are registered to carry a handgun in public or to a range or hunting area.
The Indiana State Police handgun permit database contains detailed information, including name, street address, race, gender, height, etc. The ISP has to release the entire database to me because the entire database is subject to an Indiana public records request. If there was something in there the ISP couldn't release because it was protected by another state or federal law, then the ISP would've only given me the parts of the database that were subject to public records requests. If you think this information should not be public record, I would say you can contact your state representative and ask them to sponsor a law making it not a public record.
QUESTION: My permit to carry expired in 2006 and I have since moved. Do you know if I can just pay the $30 renewal fee, or would I have to go through the whole process again with updated information? It seems that would be the logical and legal thing to do.
Jason, Bloomington
MICHAEL MALIK: Jason,
Thanks for your question. I'm not exactly sure on the procedure, but I would guess that if your permit is expired that you'd have to go through the permitting process again. I would suggest going to the ISP's Web site to find out exactly what you'd need to do.
Here is their Web site: http://www.in.gov/isp/#
Also, here is a link to their FAQ page that might be helpful. http://www.in.gov/portal/faq.html?faqid=690&p_created=1203432286
QUESTION: Why don't you publish an Abortion procedure database, or a list of all those on wellfare? Or how about this. Let's publish all of the HT reporters home address and telephone numbers so they can have thier privacy invaded. Any other law abiding citizens this city what to harrass? I don't see the purpose of publishing this database other than to further the liberal agenda in Bloomington...as if it could be any more liberal.
Mike Fink, Blomington
MICHAEL MALIK: Mike,
Thanks for you questions. We can't publish an abortion procedure database because that information is not public record and is protected by privacy laws to ensure the information is not published.
As far as harassing people, I don't believe the stories are harassing anybody. All the people I spoke to agreed to talk with me for the stories. The stories are examining an issue that is prevalent in the community.
QUESTION: Do you yourself have a handgun permit or own a handgun?
Dustin Dillard, Bloomington
MICHAEL MALIK: Dustin,
Thanks for your questions. No, I do not have a handgun permit or a handgun.
QUESTION: Can someone only carry a firearm in the state of Indiana if they have a permit? Is it a conceal carry permit where if you don't conceal the firearm you can carry without the permit? What are the nuances the permit relating to this line of questions that you are aware of? Thanks for your time in making yourself available for these questions!
concerned parent, Bloomington
MICHAEL MALIK: Concerned parent,
Thanks for your questions. If a person has a personal protection permit, then the person can carry his or her handgun with them into public places where it is not outlawed by state or federal law — such as a U.S. Post Office building or school. The permits only cover handguns and not long rifles or shotguns for example.
State code doesn't specify how the handgun has to be carried — concealed or not. Many of the handgun owners I spoke with said they usually carry their handgun concealed, but occasionally open carry, which means the handgun is visible to others.
Other than that, I'm not sure what other nuances there are. Indiana honors handgun permits from all other states. I hope these answers help. If you want to read the Indiana code, here is the citation: Indiana Code 35-47-2-4. A Google search will yield that code for you to read.
QUESTION: What is the requirement for a lifetime personal protection permit?
Larry, bloomington
MICHAEL MALIK: Larry,
Here are the basic reasons why a permit can NOT be issued to a person copied directly from Indiana Code.
(g) A license to carry a handgun shall not be issued to any person who:
(1) has been convicted of a felony;
(2) has had a license to carry a handgun suspended, unless the person's license has been reinstated;
(3) is under eighteen (18) years of age;
(4) is under twenty-three (23) years of age if the person has been adjudicated a delinquent child for an act that would be a felony if committed by an adult; or
(5) has been arrested for a Class A or Class B felony, or any other felony that was committed while armed with a deadly weapon or that involved the use of violence, if a court has found probable cause to believe that the person committed the offense charged.
In the case of an arrest under subdivision (5), a license to carry a handgun may be issued to a person who has been acquitted of the specific offense charged or if the charges for the specific offense are dismissed. The superintendent shall prescribe all forms to be used in connection with the administration of this chapter.
QUESTION: Given that some permit-holders obtained them for specific defense needs ( domestic violence, for instance) doesn't the fact that a city and even a street put these individuals in more danger than before the database?
anthony, bloomington
MICHAEL MALIK: Anthony,
Thanks for your question. I wish you could've been a fly on the wall during our newsroom discussion about what information to include in our online database. Here is a brief rundown of the process we went through.
The H-T obtained the database through a public records request submitted to the Indiana State Police. It is available to any person who wants it — reporters don't have any more rights to inspect or copy a public record than the average citizen. I sent a letter to the ISP requesting the database. I also included a check for $32, which is likely the cost associated with the ISP producing the database for me. Within a week, the ISP sent the database to me on a CD.
Once we got the database, I examined it and told a group of H-T editors what was in it. You're right, the database did include specific information identifying anyone who has a handgun permit, including their address and name. We decided not to include any specific identifying information of people for the exact reason you stated above.
Now that you know our process, I think I can better answer your question. No, I don't think our database puts these individuals at a higher risk because we don't identify them. If you have a person's name, there are other ways to use public records to find that person. Also, as I mentioned above, anyone who wants to pay $32 can get this database.
Here's a link to our database: http://www.heraldtimesonline.com/data/gun_permits/
QUESTION: I don't understand why some people are upset about this. Hasn't the H-T had a gun permit database online for several years? What's the difference between that one and this one? Thanks.
Ed, Smithville
MICHAEL MALIK: Ed,
Thanks for your questions. Yes, the H-T has had a similar database up for many years. The older database shows permits that were issued within Monroe County. The new database is much more expansive and includes a list of all active handgun permits within the entire state.
Here is a link to the old database: http://www.heraldtimesonline.com/data/guns/
Here is a link to the new one: http://www.heraldtimesonline.com/data/gun_permits/
QUESTION: Can you elucidate Bloomington's ban on using firearms within the city? Are there any exceptions?
NRA Certification Instructor, Bloomington
MICHAEL MALIK: NRA Certification Instructor,
Thanks for a couple questions. I don't know of any exceptions. However, the code does allow for the use of a firearm in self-defense. Here is a copy of what the city's code says.
14.20.020 Discharging firearms.
It is unlawful for any person to shoot any firearm within the limits of the city; provided, however, that this section shall not apply to any legally appointed officer in the discharge of his duty, nor to any person when acting in self-defense. (Prior code § 18-9).
QUESTION: So, since you have no handgun or permit, are you just looking to stir it up with your return to B-town, the HT, and the pro/ anti gun crowd?
I don't write about quilts, because I have no vested interest or personal experience with them.
Incognito, Bloomington
MICHAEL MALIK: Incognito,
Thanks for your question. I'm not looking to stir up anything. My stories were simply meant to examine an issue that is prevalent in the local community and that people feel passionately about.
In this case, I think not having a handgun or handgun permit is an asset. Reporters do their best work when they have lots of questions, which was the case when I started reporting this story more than a month ago. I wanted to simplify the handgun permit issue as best as possible so the person who doesn't have a handgun or handgun permit could understand it. I spoke with more than a dozen people, varying from handgun owners to handgun experts to law enforcement, for these stories.
By your standards, no one would be qualified to write about the president unless they were president or no one would be qualified to write about the IU football coach unless they coached IU football.
http://www.heraldtimesonline.com/stories/2009/12/01/news.688226.sto
The NRA website has more and contact information for the Times' editors, should you wish to share your thoughts on this topic. I have included it below:
http://www.nraila.org/Legislation/Read.aspx?ID=5234
E. Mayer Maloney Jr., Publisher
(812) 331-4251
[email protected]
Scott Schurz, Sunday Hoosier Times/Editor-in-Chief
(812) 331-4250
[email protected]
Bob Zaltsberg, Editor
(812) 331-4364
[email protected]
Andrea Murray, Managing Editor
(812) 331-4351
[email protected]
Bill Strother, Assistant Managing Editor
(812) 331-4265
[email protected]
Todd Davidson, Digital Media Director
(812) 349-1415
[email protected]
=============
MODERATOR: Good morning everyone, thanks for joining us. We're here with reporter Michael Malik to talk about his two-day series on Indiana handgun permits, as well as the Indiana handguns permit database on HTO. Feel free to send your questions about his series, and some of the information he learned while reporting these stories.
• One in 26 Monroe County residents has a permit to carry handguns
• Rise in gun sales blamed on ‘Obama factor’
• Search more than 318,000 handgun permit holders in Indiana
With that, Mike, are you ready to get started?
MICHAEL MALIK: Good morning Moderator and everyone. Yes, I'm all set. Let's get started.
QUESTION: Are you planning to identify those who have permits? If so that seems to be on the reckless and endangering proposition. For example the unfortunate lady in Washington state who was beaten and raped due to the police acting on an anonymous tip from her attackers!
jerry, bloomington
MICHAEL MALIK: Jerry,
Thanks very much for the question. No, the H-T is not going to identify specific people who have permits. The database is searchable by street name, city and county. No one's name or exact address will appear in our database. That was a decision we arrived at after a lengthy discussion in the newsroom because the original database from the Indiana State Police does include specific names and addresses of all permit holders within Indiana.
I encourage you to check out the database at http://www.heraldtimesonline.com/data/gun_permits
QUESTION: Have there been any recent studies tracking increased gun sales or increases in carry permits with crime statistics?
Janet Howell, Bloomington
MICHAEL MALIK: Janet,
Thanks for your question. I'm not aware of any recent studies tracking increased gun sales or increases in carry permits as it relates to crime statistics — I'm sure there are some out there. However, you can go to the U.S. Department of Justice Bureau of Labor Statistics Web site — I'll include the link below — to find information about crime in a specific area. As far as the rise in gun sales go, here's a fact from the FBI that was included in one of my stories: "The FBI’s National Instant Criminal Background Check System reported that 6.1 million background checks for gun sales were issued from January to May, an increase of 25.6 percent from the same period the year before, according to an Associated Press report."
Here is the DOJ Web site: http://bjsdata.ojp.usdoj.gov/dataonline/Search/Crime/Local/LocalCrime.cfm
QUESTION: Thinking outside the box. Why get a Gun Permit to begin with? Are we not supposedly guaranteed by the Constitution the right to bare arms?
DKC, Ellettsville
MICHAEL MALIK: DKC,
That's a very insightful question. Thanks for it. Indiana law requires a handgun permit for anyone who wants to carry a handgun in public or wants to transport a handgun from a home or place of business to a range or a hunting area.
Within Indiana, a person does not have to have a permit to buy a handgun or to keep the handgun in his or her home or place of business. Also, Indiana honors handgun permits from all other states.
QUESTION: Why do they release the information in such detail, including the street or road?
why does anyone but the state police or other law enforcement agency need to know who has a carry permit? Do you have a carry permit, and do you want your's listed if you do? thanks...
joe, orleans
MICHAEL MALIK: Joe,
Thanks for your questions. No, I do not have a carry permit and, therefore, would not appear in the database.
As far as why people need to know this information, I'm not sure. You'd have to ask people who searched the database why they did so. I know I searched my street name to see how many people on my street are registered to carry a handgun in public or to a range or hunting area.
The Indiana State Police handgun permit database contains detailed information, including name, street address, race, gender, height, etc. The ISP has to release the entire database to me because the entire database is subject to an Indiana public records request. If there was something in there the ISP couldn't release because it was protected by another state or federal law, then the ISP would've only given me the parts of the database that were subject to public records requests. If you think this information should not be public record, I would say you can contact your state representative and ask them to sponsor a law making it not a public record.
QUESTION: My permit to carry expired in 2006 and I have since moved. Do you know if I can just pay the $30 renewal fee, or would I have to go through the whole process again with updated information? It seems that would be the logical and legal thing to do.
Jason, Bloomington
MICHAEL MALIK: Jason,
Thanks for your question. I'm not exactly sure on the procedure, but I would guess that if your permit is expired that you'd have to go through the permitting process again. I would suggest going to the ISP's Web site to find out exactly what you'd need to do.
Here is their Web site: http://www.in.gov/isp/#
Also, here is a link to their FAQ page that might be helpful. http://www.in.gov/portal/faq.html?faqid=690&p_created=1203432286
QUESTION: Why don't you publish an Abortion procedure database, or a list of all those on wellfare? Or how about this. Let's publish all of the HT reporters home address and telephone numbers so they can have thier privacy invaded. Any other law abiding citizens this city what to harrass? I don't see the purpose of publishing this database other than to further the liberal agenda in Bloomington...as if it could be any more liberal.
Mike Fink, Blomington
MICHAEL MALIK: Mike,
Thanks for you questions. We can't publish an abortion procedure database because that information is not public record and is protected by privacy laws to ensure the information is not published.
As far as harassing people, I don't believe the stories are harassing anybody. All the people I spoke to agreed to talk with me for the stories. The stories are examining an issue that is prevalent in the community.
QUESTION: Do you yourself have a handgun permit or own a handgun?
Dustin Dillard, Bloomington
MICHAEL MALIK: Dustin,
Thanks for your questions. No, I do not have a handgun permit or a handgun.
QUESTION: Can someone only carry a firearm in the state of Indiana if they have a permit? Is it a conceal carry permit where if you don't conceal the firearm you can carry without the permit? What are the nuances the permit relating to this line of questions that you are aware of? Thanks for your time in making yourself available for these questions!
concerned parent, Bloomington
MICHAEL MALIK: Concerned parent,
Thanks for your questions. If a person has a personal protection permit, then the person can carry his or her handgun with them into public places where it is not outlawed by state or federal law — such as a U.S. Post Office building or school. The permits only cover handguns and not long rifles or shotguns for example.
State code doesn't specify how the handgun has to be carried — concealed or not. Many of the handgun owners I spoke with said they usually carry their handgun concealed, but occasionally open carry, which means the handgun is visible to others.
Other than that, I'm not sure what other nuances there are. Indiana honors handgun permits from all other states. I hope these answers help. If you want to read the Indiana code, here is the citation: Indiana Code 35-47-2-4. A Google search will yield that code for you to read.
QUESTION: What is the requirement for a lifetime personal protection permit?
Larry, bloomington
MICHAEL MALIK: Larry,
Here are the basic reasons why a permit can NOT be issued to a person copied directly from Indiana Code.
(g) A license to carry a handgun shall not be issued to any person who:
(1) has been convicted of a felony;
(2) has had a license to carry a handgun suspended, unless the person's license has been reinstated;
(3) is under eighteen (18) years of age;
(4) is under twenty-three (23) years of age if the person has been adjudicated a delinquent child for an act that would be a felony if committed by an adult; or
(5) has been arrested for a Class A or Class B felony, or any other felony that was committed while armed with a deadly weapon or that involved the use of violence, if a court has found probable cause to believe that the person committed the offense charged.
In the case of an arrest under subdivision (5), a license to carry a handgun may be issued to a person who has been acquitted of the specific offense charged or if the charges for the specific offense are dismissed. The superintendent shall prescribe all forms to be used in connection with the administration of this chapter.
QUESTION: Given that some permit-holders obtained them for specific defense needs ( domestic violence, for instance) doesn't the fact that a city and even a street put these individuals in more danger than before the database?
anthony, bloomington
MICHAEL MALIK: Anthony,
Thanks for your question. I wish you could've been a fly on the wall during our newsroom discussion about what information to include in our online database. Here is a brief rundown of the process we went through.
The H-T obtained the database through a public records request submitted to the Indiana State Police. It is available to any person who wants it — reporters don't have any more rights to inspect or copy a public record than the average citizen. I sent a letter to the ISP requesting the database. I also included a check for $32, which is likely the cost associated with the ISP producing the database for me. Within a week, the ISP sent the database to me on a CD.
Once we got the database, I examined it and told a group of H-T editors what was in it. You're right, the database did include specific information identifying anyone who has a handgun permit, including their address and name. We decided not to include any specific identifying information of people for the exact reason you stated above.
Now that you know our process, I think I can better answer your question. No, I don't think our database puts these individuals at a higher risk because we don't identify them. If you have a person's name, there are other ways to use public records to find that person. Also, as I mentioned above, anyone who wants to pay $32 can get this database.
Here's a link to our database: http://www.heraldtimesonline.com/data/gun_permits/
QUESTION: I don't understand why some people are upset about this. Hasn't the H-T had a gun permit database online for several years? What's the difference between that one and this one? Thanks.
Ed, Smithville
MICHAEL MALIK: Ed,
Thanks for your questions. Yes, the H-T has had a similar database up for many years. The older database shows permits that were issued within Monroe County. The new database is much more expansive and includes a list of all active handgun permits within the entire state.
Here is a link to the old database: http://www.heraldtimesonline.com/data/guns/
Here is a link to the new one: http://www.heraldtimesonline.com/data/gun_permits/
QUESTION: Can you elucidate Bloomington's ban on using firearms within the city? Are there any exceptions?
NRA Certification Instructor, Bloomington
MICHAEL MALIK: NRA Certification Instructor,
Thanks for a couple questions. I don't know of any exceptions. However, the code does allow for the use of a firearm in self-defense. Here is a copy of what the city's code says.
14.20.020 Discharging firearms.
It is unlawful for any person to shoot any firearm within the limits of the city; provided, however, that this section shall not apply to any legally appointed officer in the discharge of his duty, nor to any person when acting in self-defense. (Prior code § 18-9).
QUESTION: So, since you have no handgun or permit, are you just looking to stir it up with your return to B-town, the HT, and the pro/ anti gun crowd?
I don't write about quilts, because I have no vested interest or personal experience with them.
Incognito, Bloomington
MICHAEL MALIK: Incognito,
Thanks for your question. I'm not looking to stir up anything. My stories were simply meant to examine an issue that is prevalent in the local community and that people feel passionately about.
In this case, I think not having a handgun or handgun permit is an asset. Reporters do their best work when they have lots of questions, which was the case when I started reporting this story more than a month ago. I wanted to simplify the handgun permit issue as best as possible so the person who doesn't have a handgun or handgun permit could understand it. I spoke with more than a dozen people, varying from handgun owners to handgun experts to law enforcement, for these stories.
By your standards, no one would be qualified to write about the president unless they were president or no one would be qualified to write about the IU football coach unless they coached IU football.
