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The Federal Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals (the court with jurisdiction over the Western United States) released a decision today (PDF) in Peruta v. San Diego striking down a California requirement for showing "good cause" to obtain a firearm carry permit, affirming that to "bear arms" is as much of a protected right as keeping them.
At our January meeting, the Sheriff commissioned the Sheriff's Auxiliary's first Chaplain: Lt. Junior Grade Brian Moomey has been a Branson Police Officer, former Pastor of Impact Christian Center in Aurora, a prison guard, and a hospice Chaplain. As LCS Auxiliary's Unit Chaplain, Lt. Moomey will help us to recruit and train additional Chaplains and Chaplains' assistants.
There is a state Senate Committee hearing (General Laws) today for SB 613 (Second Amendment Protection Act or "SAPA") 2014 Regular Session. The Lawrence County Sheriff's Auxiliary submitted written testimony for the bill, primarily concerning the provisions creating the role of a School Protection Officer and its potential interaction with armed volunteers under law enforcement.
[Update 21 February 2014: This bill has passed the Missouri Senate 23-10.]
The Treasury Department has announced that hours of bona-fide volunteers and volunteer emergency responders (e.g., us) do not count toward an employer's count of full-time employees or full-time equivalent (FTE) hours. The Affordable Care Act (ACA, i.e. "ObamaCare") requires all employers with more than 50 FTE employees to provide health benefits or pay penalties.
A draft of an instruction manual for programming the Wouxun KG-UV6D dual-band radio from its keypad (field programming) is now available on Scribd and downloadable as a PDF. These radios are used by the Sheriff's Auxiliary and we have organized bulk purchases within the community.
Another video today for people to think about. This is a presentation by a man who created United Hatzalah in Israel: an organization of volunteers who put ambulances on motorcycles to decrease response time and provide support for critical patients while the full-size ambulance fights it's way through traffic. Over the years, his organization has grown to thousands of volunteers in several countries and has become a vehicle for knitting together Jews, Arabs, and Christians.
I was recently sent a link to you-tube video, "Message To Police and Sheriff's Deputies," which is an eloquent and provocative commentary on some of the issues which we wrestle with in Our Constitution, Law, and the Auxiliary courses. When is it valid to use force in defense of self, in defense of others, and in defense of law, of property, or public order? Where is the line drawn?
The Sheriff's Auxiliary picked up a Wouxun KG-UV920P Dual Band Mobile Radio for purposes of evaluation in its last bulk radio purchase. We were looking for a bare-bones dual-band mobile at a price that volunteers could readily afford. The 920P is programmable to a wide range of channels, allowing us to use a single unit for Amateur radio (2m/148Mhz and 770cm/440Mhz), Part 90 Public Service, and, in a pinch, GMRS and MURS. The unit also supports cross-band repeat and, with the aid of a second unit and a cable, full repeater functionality.