The Lee County Sheriff’s office holds a three-day handgun safety course starting nine times a years, that is open to the community. It teaches the rules of safe gun handling and shooting, and laws pertaining to ownership, transportation and use of handguns.
Trainees are authorized to bring their own handgun with or without a legal permit to use for the course, and information about how to obtain a handgun permit is offered as part of the course.
The three-day course has a maximum of 12 people per session for safety reasons. Lee County Sheriff Jay Jones said there is always a waiting list for the courses, so in the future they hope to be able to offer more classes and eventually add advanced courses.
The course is part of the Auburn University Office of Professional and Continuing Education outreach programs. Jones and NRA certified instructor David George lead the courses with assistance from Detective Jennifer Bosler.
The class started in 1993 in an effort to help people in the community feel comfortable and become familiar with safe techniques when handling a firearm, Jones said.
The first night of the course concentrates on all aspects of safety when handling a firearm, weapon nomenclature and the difference between various types of handguns and how they operate.
The second night focuses on cleaning a revolver and a semi-automatic pistol as well as the laws when using force to protect oneself in defense.
Jones said they use this night to really emphasize what concealed carry is and the laws pertaining to carrying a weapon around as a tool for defense, because there is often times a lot of confusion surrounding concealed carry.
“People go out and they get a gun and get a concealed permit, and they really aren’t trained to deal with certain circumstances that crop up, and that’s one of the purposes why were doing this course is to ensure that people are being educated and they know that it’s not all about just pulling a gun out and shooting,” Jones said.
Jones said in that case, it might end up doing more harm than good if an event unfolded and someone was not properly trained on how to use a firearm as self-defense.
“Buy a gun, get a permit and carry that gun around with you to protect yourself and your family, but learn how to use it and make sure you know the safety rules. Make sure you’re competent with it. Don’t just buy a gun, strap it on and start walking around, and I am afraid that some people do that,” Jones said.
The concealed carry with a permit law also helps law enforcement maintain safety throughout the community, because anyone in violation who might be using a firearm to commit a criminal act can be arrested for not having a permit, said Jones.
Jones said most trainees end up applying for a pistol permit at the end of the course, once they have been on the range the third day and have a feel on shooting a weapon.
Auburn resident, Sandy Bridges, decided to take the October course because she recently purchased a gun permit, and said she feels more capable when handling a firearm now and would recommend the course to others.
“It’s always good to hear from a professional and from someone that knows the law well. There are a lot of misperceptions out there, and Sheriff Jones was so patient with each and every question; he’s amazing,” said Bridges.
The course provided a lot of emphasis on safety, according to Bridges. “It’s a second amendment right that we get to bear arms, and guns are everywhere. I think with something that has the potential to be life threatening, that you need to be responsible.”
The instructors kept the course very informative and interesting, but also fun, Bridges said. “The simulator was great and my favorite part. It was completely safe and gave us real life situations.”
Auburn resident, Candy Smith, who had never shot a gun before the course, said she thinks it is important for people to be more educated about guns and their safety measures. “I feel so much more informed now. I would recommend the course to anyone.”
A certificate is provided to trainees at the end of the course in the case that they might travel to a state that requires a training course to own and carry a handgun. Jones said they also encourage the trainees to practice on their own from time to time to keep their skills and knowledge up of safety techniques and rules.
The next handgun safety session will be in the spring, and more information can be found with the Auburn University outreach programs or the sheriff’s office.
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