Police departments across Texas are expressing concern about a new pro-gun law in Texas that went into effect Wednesday allows most Texans who legally own a firearm to carry it openly in public without obtaining a permit or training, saying it makes it more challenging to protect the public from gun violence.
As noted by CNN, “the controversial “constitutional carry” legislation is the latest in a series of pro-gun bills that state lawmakers passed this year as gun violence incidents rise in Texas and across the country.”
Data compiled by the Gun Violence Archive (GVA) shows that the number of shootings in Texas increased 14% this year with roughly 3,200 shootings compared to the same period in 2020. Gun violence incidents this year represent a 50% increase over the same period in 2019, which saw 2,100 shootings.
“In Texas, repealing the permit altogether is a radical change,” said Andrew Karwoski, a policy expert at Everytown for Gun Safety, the largest gun violence prevention organization in the country. “Just allowing almost anyone to carry a handgun in public, no questions asked, no background check or safety training, is really dangerous.”
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Dallas Police Chief Eddie Garcia said people open carrying firearms have made it harder for officers to differentiate a “good guy with a gun from a bad guy with a gun.”
“It makes our job, the job of our men and women, more dangerous,” he added. “Gun owners have a duty to ensure that their firearms are handled safely and a duty to know applicable laws.”
“Owning a firearm and being able to deploy a firearm in a safe manner requires not only familiarity with the weapon system but also a level of proficiency,” said Frank Straub, the director of the Center for Mass Violence Response Studies at the National Police Foundation.
“One of the reasons that open carry is so dangerous is because it’s so difficult to enforce,” he added. “It’s hard for law enforcement when they see someone walking down the street with a military-style assault weapon to understand their intentions and respond accordingly.”
Meanwhile, Republican supporters of the bill have argued that by removing the licensing requirement, they are removing an “artificial barrier” to residents’ right to bear arms under the Constitution and ensuring more Texans have access to “the protection of themselves or their families” in public.
