Pistol Revolver Licenses: Hampton Police Make Their Own Rules - Granite Grok

Pistol Revolver Licenses: Hampton Police Make Their Own Rules

“Sometimes it seems that those with the greatest disregard for our laws are the same people in charge of creating or enforcing them.”? Steve Maraboli

Hampton_PoliceAnother Police Department has made its own extra-legal rules for issuance of the New Hampshire Pistol and Revolver License.

As recently as December 27, 2013 a citizen submitted his (or her) application (dssp85) to the Hampton New Hampshire Police Department to obtain a New Hampshire Pistol revolver license. In addition to the application the Hampton Police  gave this form to the applicant. The Hampton Police will not process any application without the required photocopies attached. The problem: its not legal.

New Hampshire RSA 159:6 states in part,

159:6 License to Carry. –    The license shall be issued within 14 days after application, and, if such application is denied, the reason for such denial shall be stated in writing, the original of which such writing shall be delivered to the applicant, and a copy kept in the office of the person to whom the application was made. The fee for licenses issued to residents of the state shall be $10, which fee shall be for the use of the law enforcement department of the town or city granting said licenses;

and,

The director of state police is hereby authorized and directed to prepare forms for the licenses required under this chapter and forms for the application for such licenses and to supply the same to officials of the cities and towns authorized to issue the licenses. No other forms shall be used by officials of cities and towns.
II. No photograph or fingerprint shall be required or used as a basis to grant, deny, or renew a license to carry for a resident or nonresident, unless requested by the applicant.

This is an old tired bothersome issue. The Attorney General issued an open letter to law enforcement agencies in their own publication as far back as 2002 clearly articulating the specific basis to issue or deny a New Hampshire Pistol Revolver License. There has been case after case with legal opinions about using extralegal methods for processing N.H. Pistol revolver licenses.

It is pointless to recount the endless anecdotes of some of New Hampshire Police Chiefs and administrators who, despite black letter law, decide to augment current law and its limits with their own processes.

Hampton Police Chief James B. Sullivan
Hampton Police Chief James B. Sullivan

It is time for Chief James B. Sullivan to rescind these requirements and follow the written law that the legislature has set before him. If Chief Jamie Sullivan does not like the law, or takes issue with the law, then let him run for the legislature and advocate for the law to be changed through the legislative process.  New Hampshire has had a run on Police Chiefs that have transplanted themselves here in the Granite State from other locations, bringing with them the notions and viewpoints of the states they came from with their draconian and restrictive gun control rules. Sorry Chiefs! different state, different laws! different culture. Our legislatures make the laws, not you people!

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