Gun Permits Granted To Applicants With Criminal Records
Johnson County Sheriff Lonny Pulkrabek has been vocal in his concerns about the new law. At BFIA we think that loosening gun laws in our state was not a good idea and there is evidence that many Iowans did not realize it was happening and do not support the new law now. Listen to The Exchange on Iowa Public Radio for a conversation between Sheriff Pulkrabek and Sean McClanahan, President of the Iowa Firearms Coalition, on Iowa's New “Shall Issue” Gun Law. Download it here.
The following is an excerpt of an article published in the Iowa City Press-Citizen February 1, 2011. Johnson County Sheriff Lonny Pulkrabek said there are now more than 50 people in the county with permits to carry weapons that he would've thought twice about approving before gun laws changed and took away much of his discretion.
As of Monday morning, Pulkrabek said he has signed off on 52 permits to carry weapons that he would have investigated further because of the applicants' criminal records.
Included in that list of 52 applicants is someone who was charged with second-degree theft — a felony — and perjury, but ultimately pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor level theft charge. Others on the list have been charged with multiple drunken driving offenses, possession of controlled substances, theft and other offenses.
A year ago, Pulkrabek could have denied those permits. However, since a new law went into effect at the beginning of the year making Iowa a shall-carry state and limiting the grounds upon which a sheriff can deny a permit, Pulkrabek said he must approve the permits — reluctantly, he said.
Along with limiting a sheriff's discretion, the new law no longer requires weapons to be concealed or applicants to pass a proficiency test. Successful applicants also can carry weapons into businesses with liquor licenses…One applicant he approved was charged with public intoxication in 2004, drunken driving in 2005 and simple assault in 2008.
“Is someone like that a law-abiding citizen?” Pulkrabek said, referring to proponents of the law change who argued more law-abiding citizens would be able to carry guns.
(click here to read the entire article)
Blog For Iowa 
I don't like our criminal justice system process where plea bargins are frequently used to give a slap on the hand instead of putting a criminal behind bars.
However, that is the rule of law. And if we are to be a nation where the rule of law is actually enforced and our rights of freedom are protected, then we either follow the rule of law or we arbitrarily deny rights of freedom.
Thus I do not want a Sheriff empowered to deny rights based on arrest record, or plea bargain record of an individual.
If you don't like the plea bargain aspect of our criminal justice system, then reform it and fix the problem. Don't resort to a work around system to solve one problem, while creating another.
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