Colbert County Sheriff Frank Williamson
COLBERT COUNTY – Colbert Sheriff Frank Williamson told the Quad Cities Daily that The TimesDaily online edition got it wrong when it reported on the question of pistol/concealed-carry permits for Veterans. He said the reporter got it wrong as to fees charged, and to the not-yet-approved issuance of lifetime permits to most military veterans.
Here is what Sheriff Williamson had to say:
There has been some confusion this morning over the lifetime concealed carry pistol permit. I was alerted early this morning to an incorrect statement in an online article the Times Daily Newspaper published which implied that both the Colbert County Sheriff’s Office and the Lauderdale County Sheriff’s Office have been charging retired military personnel fees for LIFETIME concealed carry permits. This is not true, because we have never even been allowed to offer a LIFETIME permit to anyone.
The subject of this news article that was published late last night online, pertains to the new LIFETIME concealed carry permit laws that we were notified about last week on Friday, November 4, 2022.
This news article should have stated that we are proud of the new law that will be put into place which was passed during the last legislative session (Act 2021-246). This law will go into effect on January 1, 2023. It will allow a LIFETIME concealed carry permit to be issued free of charge to all honorably discharged Military personnel regardless of the number of years of service they have given to their country. Until now, we were only allowed by state law to issue a free permit one year at a time to the fully retired Military Veterans. The fact we can now offer a lifetime permit will save our Veterans from having to make a trip back to our office each year to renew that permit.
The law up until this point has not allowed us to sell lifetime permits, due to the fact the Alabama State Law Enforcement Agency has been preparing a database of persons forbidden to carry a firearm. This database is being developed to ensure that convicted felons do not receive a carry permit.
It has always been my desire to be able to allow all qualified Military Veterans regardless of the number of years they have served, to be able to receive a carry permit free of charge. I have never liked having to charge our younger Veterans or currently active Military a fee. Now the State of Alabama has heard our requests and made it possible for us to recognize our Veterans of all ages and all active-duty men and women, for their brave service to our Country.
Beginning January 1, 2023, we will be able to issue a full LIFETIME carry permit to any active or former Military or Reserve Military personnel. They must provide us a copy of their “DD214” form which shows their proof of service, and we can properly provide them with a LIFETIME carry permit.
I have spoken with Sheriff Rick Singleton of Lauderdale County, and we are both sorry for the confusion that has occurred, and we are both here to answer your questions and help everyone that qualifies for this free LIFETIME carry permit.
GOD BLESS AMERICA …. Sheriff Frank Williamson
