SAPULPA, OKLAHOMA — Another sheriff is stepping up to ensure the citizens of his county are taking full advantage of their 2nd amendment rights. Creek County Sheriff John Davis posted the following message on the Sheriff’s Office’s Facebook page:
“As a result of the ever-increasing violence being committed upon the American citizen and the current state of our country, I encourage each citizen of Creek County who is legally able to fully utilize their Second Amendment right ‘to keep and bear arms,’ as legally prescribed by the Self-Defense Act.”
According to a statement submitted through Sapulpa World, the sheriff’s office will reduce the costs of fingerprinting from $25 to $10 — effective January 1st. Acknowledging he doesn’t have the authority to waive fees entirely, he’s at least made it more cost effective. Every little bit helps, right?
Each applicant is still responsible for providing two passport-style photographs alongside all the fees owed to the Oklahoma Bureau of Investigation. This is just a little bit to help encourage those Oklahoma residents to pursue their concealed carry permits.
It’s just one more example of sheriffs stepping up to help their citizens obtain concealed carry permits and encouraging them to carry responsibly. In a world where it can take minutes for police to arrive, having armed, responsible adults nearby can be the difference of life and death. More importantly: it’s time to be that armed, responsible adult.
Unfortunately, not all sheriffs have the authority to completely waive all fees associated with the processing of concealed carry applications due to a number of factors including:
- State-mandated fees
- Organizations outside the sheriff’s jurisdiction responsible for man-hours and work associated with the application
- Real costs associated with equipment or training
But, it’s definitely a great step in the right direction. Unless you live in a permitless concealed carry state, there will always be costs associated with the processing of paperwork and even the printing of the permit itself. Many sheriffs can and are taking proactive measures to encourage their citizens to take all legal recourse towards protecting themselves. And to those sheriffs who are stepping up to the challenge: good job, sheriffs. You’re taking this seriously. And now it’s up to us, as concealed carriers, to carry that mantle of responsibility and ensure we’re mentally and physically prepared to handle the tough situations that reality may bowl our direction.