Mobile County Commissioner Dueitt: Permitless carry creates public safety risk, danger — Questions ALEA’s ability to maintain prohibited person database

This year it could be different for a piece of legislation that would put Alabama among those states to offer so-called constitutional or permitless carry.

The pre-filed bill, HB6, is sponsored by State Reps. Shane Stringer (R-Satsuma) and Proncey Robertson (R-Mt. Hope), and has been endorsed by members throughout both chambers of the Alabama State House.

Mobile County Commissioner Randall Dueitt is among those urging those members of the Alabama Legislature to rethink their support.

During an appearance on Mobile radio FM Talk 106.5’s “The Jeff Poor Show,” Dueitt said such a policy could pose public safety issues.

“For 10 years, I was a legislative liaison for [Mobile County Sheriff Sam] Cochran and did a lot of work for the Alabama Sherriffs’ Association,” he said. “For 10 years, I’ve spoken at public hearings. It is no secret I’m opposed to permitless carry. I think it creates a public safety risk and danger, for sure. And not only that but an officer safety issue.”

Dueitt offered an example of how a suspect of a home invasion with very few leads was tracked given his lack of a permit.

“Had it not been for the probable cause of the pistol permit, that case probably would have never been solved,” he explained.

Permitless carry, branded by many constitutional carry, has won over detractors given the institution of a prohibited pistol-holders database. Among those are Stringer and Robertson.

However, Dueitt cautions against putting too much faith in such a database for two different reasons.

One, he says there is reason to be skeptical that the state of Alabama, under the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency (ALEA), can maintain such a database. And two, he argued the database of prohibited users would not include those prohibited in other states.

@Jeff_Poor is a graduate of Auburn University and the University of South Alabama, the editor of Breitbart TV, a columnist for Mobile’s Lagniappe Weekly, and host of Mobile’s “The Jeff Poor Show” from 9 a.m.-12 p.m. on FM Talk 106.5.