Wednesday, July 23, 2008

Guns, Airports And Good Intentions

Most Airports around the country allow for lawful or licensed carry of firearms up to the TSA’s Gun Free Zone where the searching of passengers begins.

Some lawmakers want to place the entire world in a Gun Free Zone but jurisdictional boundaries, the Constitution and armed criminals make that pipe dream impossible.

Because of simple crime private investigators like me are called upon to perform bodyguard duties. Often I do this for specific threats where the police can’t provide this service. Very often I bring to or pick up people I’m retained to protect from airports.

Because of the maniacal TSA regulations, I cannot accompany a client while armed on a commercial plane despite having numerous licenses and various gun permits. I am however entitled to drop off and meet clients at most TSA checkpoints or as they exit the airport’s Gun Free Zones.

There is a new prohibition movement that would require my clients to be unprotected anywhere on airport grounds. This effort is a recipe for disaster.

We have enough hurdles such as L.A.’s premier celebrity protection agency, Gavin de Becker & Associates found out after one of their licensed, bonded and firearm permitted agents was arrested in New York at the JFK Airport. De Becker’s agent found himself on the other side of some prohibition technicality even the lawyers had a difficult time figuring out.

The private detective lobby is small, inadequate and too ineffective to fight any gun laws that affect them. I refuse to pay dues to private investigator associations because like CALI they encourage and allow government to endanger their membership with these dubious gun laws.

Licensed private investigators with valid gun permits should be allowed to protect their clients anywhere inside the United States of America. We need a federal law that would allow them to do their jobs as they cross state lines.

2 comments:

  1. I think I'd rather see a "National Concealed Carry Permit" so everyone, PIs, me, and admittedly the Bad Guys too, can take their weapons from state to state. Unless PIs are licensed at the federal level and have to periodically pass "Good Guy" tests, I don't see that as being much different from my wanting to protect myself in my travels.

    What's it take to get a PI license? Could Muhammed J. Terrorizer get one?

    At the same time, however, I will add that I know a few individuals that carry that also make me REAL NERVOUS and I'd feel better if they didn't have a gun. I don't know what to do about those fruit cakes other than to make sure they stay away from the mega-caffeine blend at Starbucks.

    Regardless of all that, getting PIs licensed to carry as you suggest is a step in the right direction.

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  2. The private security industry could really boom if the gun laws wear changed.Also more respect for QUALITY security people,not the current mall ninja method.

    CPD has complete disdain for private security unless its one of them running(typically unlicensed)a security detail.Again Daley/Stroeger and company drive business and opportunities out of the area.

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