Critic wrong, concealed carry bill didn't 'create' trouble for Ohioans. It protects them.

Rob Chadwickis the director of education and training for Delta Defense and the U.S. Concealed Carry Association (USCCA).

“This is a bill looking for and creating trouble.”

“It makes it a lot less safe for all of us, including gun owners.” 

“Puts our communities at an even greater risk of gun violence than before.”

Those were just a few of the dire warnings offered by various Ohio state legislators back in 2022 when the General Assembly passed and Gov. Mike DeWine signed a bill to implement “constitutional carry."

It allows law-abiding Ohio gun owners to carry a concealed firearm in public without needing a permit from the government.

Between anti-gun politicians and activists, there were numerous calls to oppose this bill, which they said would make Ohio communities less safe.

Our view: Puppet masters pulling lawmakers strings when it comes to guns in Ohio

More than a year and a half has passed since constitutional carry took effect, and a new study shows that arguments against this important law needed to be grounded in reality.

A new study shows violent crime has decreased across Ohio’s eight largest cities since June 2022.

Columbus, Cleveland, Toledo, Akron, Parma, and Canton experienced notable decreases in firearms-related crimes. In contrast, Cincinnati and Dayton observed only minor increases, according to the study produced by the Center for Justice Research, a partnership between the office of Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost and Bowling Green State University.

Furthermore, the research concluded that constitutional carry had no substantial impact on law enforcement, contradicting what many opponents of the law alleged would happen.

More: Ohio permit-less concealed carry law 'didn't create a Wild West,' AG Dave Yost says

Simply put, this is great news for Ohio.

While violent crime is certainly still a problem that requires comprehensive solutions, it’s clear that empowering more law-abiding gun owners to protect themselves and their families has made Ohio communities safer.

Florida, another state that implemented constitutional carry in the past year, saw a similar decrease in violent crime.

This shows that the majority of U.S. states – 27 in total – that have passed some form of permitless or constitutional carry are taking the right path to safeguard public safety and uphold constitutional rights.

While permitless carry is the best way to ensure as many Ohioans as possible can exercise their fundamental right to self-defense, proper firearms education and training remain critical components of responsible gun ownership.

Members of the U.S. Concealed Carry Association, including more than 27,000 members in Ohio, understand that while they don’t need a government permission slip to carry their firearm in public, regular training keeps them ready to defend themselves and their loved ones at all times.

The bottom line is that constitutional carry fosters individual responsibility and cultivates a culture of responsible gun ownership.

Empowering more law-abiding Ohioans to carry responsibly will help deter criminals and ultimately make communities safer.

The data shows that it’s working in Ohio and that the warnings were misguided.

As more Ohioans embrace their right to self-defense and take steps to responsibly arm themselves through continuous education and training, the state will continue to see the positive impact of constitutional carry on reducing violent crime.

Rob Chadwickis a retired Supervisory Special Agent and former head of the FBI’s Tactical Training Program at Quantico, now serving as the Director of Education and Training for Delta Defense and the U.S. Concealed Carry Association (USCCA).

This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Concealed carry has made Ohio safer. Dire warnings proven way wrong.