Below is a copy of a letter the District 2 sheriffs sent to our legislators regarding the gun storage bill. The District 2 sheriff’s cover Aitkin, Carlton, Cass, Cook, Crow Wing, Isanti, Itasca, Kanabec, Koochiching, Lake, Mille Lacs, Morrison, Pine, and St. Louis counties. As you can see the District 2 sheriffs cover a large area of Minnesota and have years of combined experience. The sheriffs of Minnesota do not always agree on all topics, but in this case, it seems clear the outstate Sheriffs have been vocal in the concerns it may create.Â
I hope that state legislators recognize that we as elected officials represent the same people as they do. I have heard many concerns regarding this proposed law from our shared constituents. I encourage everyone to remain in contact with their law makers as they work through the legislative session because the work they do will impact us all.
Dear Representative Nelson:
We are writing this letter on behalf of the 14 sheriffs that represent District 2 of the Minnesota Sheriff’s Association. Combined, these 14 sheriffs have hundreds of years of law enforcement experience serving the citizens of Minnesota. We are committed to public safety and keeping our residents safe from the threat of gun violence. We also value, uphold and promote the rights of responsible gun owners to lawfully possess firearms to protect themselves and their families.
We are writing today to encourage your opposition to HF396 – Firearm and Ammunition Storage requirements. The ability to protect oneself and their family in their own home is a critical issue. In rural areas of the state, law enforcement response can be delayed due to the mere size of the geography of our counties.
HF396 language contains legislation that would not allow the lawful responsible gun owners to quickly protect themselves and their families if they needed to retrieve a firearm and ammunition in separate secured areas.
Seconds could make the difference between life and death. Many of our residents rely on a firearm to feel safe in their home, and HF396 could take this ability away from them. There is already a current Minnesota law that addresses negligent storage of firearms, MN statute 609.666.
Given the enormous increase in mental health and illegal drug-related activity that our law enforcement officers respond to regularly, we are hoping to see more focus and resources to address these issues.
We appreciate your willingness to engage the sheriffs in conversation and listen to our concerns.
Jeff Nelson is the Pine County Sheriff and can be reached at (320) 629-8380.
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