Alabama sheriffs back bill to ban concealing firearms from officers

The Alabama Sheriff Association supports a pre-filed bill that would require people to tell law enforcement if they are carrying firearms or have them in their cars.

Rep. Chris England, a Democrat, is sponsoring the House Bill 12. It would make concealing firearms from law enforcement a Class A misdemeanor.

“We are 100% in support of the bill," said Jimmy Lambert, the executive director of the Alabama Sheriff's Association.

Alabama's constitutional carry law states that people must reveal their guns to law enforcement officers, but it does not include any consequences for people who do not. The misdemeanor gives House Bill 12 teeth.

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Elmore County Sheriff Bill Franklin said he thinks the bill makes both law enforcement and the people carrying guns safer.

The proposal offers "some degree of safety for the officer and some degree of safety for the person in the vehicle," Franklin said. “That would just be a safety measure on both sides."

Lambert agreed and said it made officers who conduct traffic stops safer.

“The officers already have — and I’m talking about across the board, all law enforcement: troopers, police, sheriff’s deputies — they already have a tough enough job as it is when they’re pulling vehicles over on the highway ... all times of the day and night," Lambert said. "The officer does not know what to expect, and thank God nine out of 10 times there is no derogatory issue or thing that happens. But there is that small portion and occasion when the officer is confronted unexpectedly with someone who is violent and has a weapon on them."

The law that allows constitutional carry went into effect Jan. 1. Montgomery County Sheriff Derrick Cunningham said because the law is so new, no one at his agency has experienced difficulties dealing with people concealing their firearms.

But he said it is just a matter of time before someone has an issue like this. Cunningham was not in favor of the constitutional carry bill, but he said he thinks this bill makes it somewhat safer.

“It’s an officer safety issue," Lambert said.

Alex Gladden is the Montgomery Advertiser's public safety reporter. She can be reached at agladden@gannett.com or 479-926-9570.

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This article originally appeared on Montgomery Advertiser: Alabama sheriffs back bill to ban concealing firearms from officers