Regarding the Sheriff's webpage changes.

[Frenchy]

Well, now that the elections are over, it is time to keep Mr. Mullen at his word.
His web page was changed to get the maximum votes possible, but that can change in an instant, so I took the liberty to copy and paste it so we have a record of it here.

We fully expect that you will support the 2nd Amendment and the rights of all law-abiding citizens to carry a firearms and section 21 of the Pennsylvania constitution.

We fully expect that you are “exploring the prospect of operating the firearms unit on some evenings or Saturdays each month in 2008 to accommodate those who are not able to make application during normal business hours.” In fact, we expect this to happen very soon as you now know how much of an inconvenience it is to many.
Close Mondays, Open Saturdays, I work for a security company, we are open 7/7 24/24, can’t expect this from your office, but we can expect that people who work with and for the public in a service capacity work at least one week end day.

We fully expect that there will soon be a way to apply online, as you say “utilizing the computer technology now available to law enforcement” you should be able to have an online portal for the Allegheny users of your office, and notify them when the proper checks have been done and the permit is ready for pickup. There is no reason the largest Sheriff’s office in the state should take any longer then other counties that take 10 to 20 minutes while the holder waits.

We fully understand how you can use the statistics to show how your office is doing good work, but we also understand statistics. How many of the 9,248 firearm permits this year where actual renewals? This means the actual work was accomplished 5 years ago, this is merely a follow-up. When you post how many permits are issued, why not state how many “New” permits are out now, compared to showing how many total. I am not saying a renewal is not as much work, but we all know you are more or less obliged mainly just before an election to issue these permits.

We also fully expect that with “utilizing the computer technology now available to law enforcement” you should be able to do like other Sheriff’s offices and issue these permits within the hour.

As a member of PAFOA, I can say we stand close to 5000 strong with the majority in or around AlleghenyCounty. We are there to ensure you keep your promise to us to protect our rights, to make sure the citizens of the area understand our rights, and mainly that the other authorities in the area understand out rights.

You have been elected with or without our votes to hold this office with all its values and integrity. This includes the firearms division, we fully expect to see a change that will be beneficial to the people who choose to keep and bear arms.
Although I do not personally live in Allegheny, I do travel and work in Allegheny every day. I fully expect you will respect that I am concerned about what happens in Allegheny. We all understand that between Philadelphia and Pittsburgh, decisions are taken that affect the rest of the state. As the Sheriff of the second largest city and the hub of the tri-state area in the west, we know your decisions will affect every member on the board at PAFOA.
Please understand when we watch what happens in and out of your office we will be measuring every word you stated in your web page at the time of the November 7, 2007 elections and expect to only see better things to come in the future.
Congratulations for your election.

In complete respect to your office Sir.
R Bernier
Pittsburgh PA. Area

: TO: Pennsylvania Firearm Owners Association Members

Allow me to respond to Alert Allegheny Residents firearm permit holders, regarding my position on permits to carry firearms in AlleghenyCounty.
First and foremost, let me be absolutely clear that I fully support the Second Amendment and the rights of all law-abiding citizens to carry a firearm. The Sheriff’s Office has the responsibility, however, of ensuring that individuals receiving a license to carry a concealed firearm are not a threat to our citizens or the communities where they live and work.
Recently, our office, while checking firearm applicants for criminal records, identified an individual applying for a permit who was on the FBI terrorist watch list and who had made false statements on the application.
In these threatening times, it has become necessary for Sheriff Offices to conduct checks on firearm permit applicants utilizing the computer technology now available to law enforcement, so that individuals like the one I have just described do not receive a firearms permit. To do less would be irresponsible.
Regrettably, It is true that the firearms unit of the Allegheny County Sheriff’s Office is no longer operating on Saturdays. Unfortunately, in these difficult fiscal times, our office must operate under an extremely tight budget, and we no longer are able to pay the overtime associated for providing this service. The office is, however, exploring the prospect of operating the firearms unit on some evenings or Saturdays each month in 2008 to accommodate those who are not able to make application during normal business hours.
The Sheriff’s Office also plans to make applications available online to save firearm permit holders time, and make the service more convenient. It should also be noted that although state law allows for permits to take up to 45 days to be issued, on average our office regularly issues permits within a two-week period.
It is interesting that my critics do not make known the fact that the Allegheny County Sheriff’s Office has already issued 9,248 firearm permits this year, compared to 7,804 in all of 2006, and 8,743 in 2005; and rest assured the office will continue to draw on technology to enable us to streamline the process and at the same time make it more effective.
I invite and encourage your comments on this, or any other issue, of importance to your membership. Please contact me at mullenforsheriff@hotmail.com or at 412-563-2980.
BILL MULLEN, SHERIFF
County of Allegheny

Last updated: October 27, 2007

[Frenchy]

Odd, the Allegheny Sheriff's website is down, http://www.mullenforsheriff.com/firearms.htm is the only web up at this time.
For those looking for firearms permit information, www.sheriffalleghenycounty.com/firearm.html is the place to go, but for some reason the page is completely down.

[Hawk]

Odd, the Allegheny Sheriff's website is down, http://www.mullenforsheriff.com/firearms.htm is the only web up at this time.
For those looking for firearms permit information, www.sheriffalleghenycounty.com/firearm.html is the place to go, but for some reason the page is completely down.

So is the main page :http://www.sheriffalleghenycounty.com/


Hawk,

[NineseveN]

Great post Frenchy, tagged for future use.

[41 Redhawk]

Sheriff's site is online again

[Jughead]

Thanks for holding his feet to the fire.

[stimpy17]

".....regaurding MY position on permits....") LOL! Well isn't that special. MY position. You have been elected to enforce the laws of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. To enforce the law, not to inject your wants or thoughts or likes or dislikes.

Just do the job you were hired by me to do, period.

You guys that pull the "D" lever on election day, is this what you really want? A hired hand that tells you, the owner of this State how he feels about legally drafted and voted on LAWS?

Swell.