CCW application process?

[squinn]

Hello All,

How common is it to have a county deputy contact one's employer during the ccw application process? The deputy handling my application called me and said she needed the name of my manager, and his contact number in order to proceed forward with my application. This seemed strange to me since this information isn't specifically requested on the application, but in my case, this wasn't going to cause a problem. I complied with her request. The deputy contacted my employer and asked the same set of questions that were posed a week earlier to both of the character references that I provided on the application. No big deal. But, after thinking about this for a bit, I suspect the only reason the deputy had for contacting my employer was to make him aware of my application for a ccw permit. I imagine this could result in the loss of one's job under less tolerant circumstances than my own.

[danp]

While this sounds completely unreasonable to me, I'm not sure whether there's anything that would actually prevent them from doing it. There should be.

[Statkowski]

Contact your employer for an LTCF? The deputy exceeded his/her authority and was totally outside the law. Download the UFA and study it closely. Then compose a letter of complaint to the Sheriff, with an info copy to both your state representative and the PSP.

LTCF data is confidential, and the deputy involved breached that confidentiality.

18 PaCS 6109d only grants the sheriff certain authority in conducting background checks, and specifies such. Since the form required for a license only asks certain data on references, all the deputy could do would be verify employment, but not explain why.

[whoshisface]

I wouldn't have given it to her, I would've given her my friends number at the company. While not my supervisor he's a VP. If I gave someone my supervisors name he would might have been spooked at little, getting a call like that. I don't know his opinions of firearms and I'm not about to ask.

[Frenchy]

Did you say on your application that it could be for work?

[shermdo]

I too live in Delaware County PA and I had this very same experience with my renewal application about 4 months ago. They telephoned my employer and spoke with the VP to which I report. He is based in MA and they still called him. Not much was said to me by him but I am very private, if you know what I mean regarding my CCW. It also took over 60 days for the application to be processed.

They didn't even call my references for my original permit application. This time they also tried to give me back my application stating that the references needed to be Delaware County residents. None of mine were. They finally backed off on that "requirement".

I sure would like to figure out a way that we could get the Delaware County Sheriff to follow the PA state law rather than his own illegal anti rules. Don't get me wrong, I am VERY pro law enforcement. In fact I have many family members and close friends who are LEOs.

Best of luck.

[dmg1969]

Frenchy already asked the first question which came to my mind...did you check the "employment" box as one of your reasons for applying?

If not, I would definately take issue with them contacting your employer.

Dave G.

[squinn]

Frenchy already asked the first question which came to my mind...did you check the "employment" box as one of your reasons for applying?

If not, I would definately take issue with them contacting your employer.

Dave G.

No, I checked "self defense" as a reason for applying.

[Gary in Pennsylvania]

......I suspect the only reason the deputy had for contacting my employer was to make him aware of my application for a ccw permit.

It's NONE of your employers business! And ( DISCLAIMER: I am, in no way, a legal expert! <grin!>) the deputy shouldn't have asked beyond your initial references.
I dunno what the process is if one of your references recommends negatively....but I suspect that the deputy shouldn't take it upon him/herself to start fishing for other sources.

[ChamberedRound]

I'm not an expert, but AFAIK, the only people that the Sheriff has the right to contact are the references one provides with the application.

In the situation of the application being for Employment or Business purposes, I can see how they would want to contact one's employer to verify that the employer requested or requires an LTC for the job. However, the LTC application specifies that when one lists their job as the reason for applying, one must provide a letter of reference from their employer, on top of providing two personal references.

Given that an employer reference is specifically requested when the reason is job related, for the Sheriff to contact an employer outside of that circumstance is unethical, and potentially illegal, citing violation of privacy reasons discussed in previous posts.