Rhode Island

[ibez]

Any forum members here from the smallest state in the union, called Rhode Island ?

speak up

.

[DefensiveCarry.com]

[HotGuns]

I used to live in Tiverton.
Beautiful little town.

They used to do a re enactment every year of the Revolutionary War battle that took place at Fort Barton. The Brits mached a bunch of Royal Marines up a hill to take the fort, which was a lookout station. A cannon battle took place, and the Marines got shot up and retreated.
The reenactment included a very well attended parade, complete with uniformed British Troops and drummers. Colonial Soilders also marched with fife and drums. When the parade was over, both sides would line up in rank and file and traded musket fire (blanks of course)and cannon fire using perioed costumes and weapons.

I was a young kid then and thought it was the greatest thing I had ever seen, and looked forward to it every year. People from all over would come to watch and it generated a lot of tourism. It was a great lesson in history.

I moved away from there, but still remember it fondly.
I was upset to learn that some time ago they quit doing it.
Seems like someone thought that it teaching the wrong things to kids and a they eventually outlawed reenactments with any kind of guns...even antiques or replicas of them due to fear of guns.

Pitiful. Just pitiful.

[P95Carry]

Moving this to member's meeting place.

[rogerswann]

I live in RI, but I'm not from there.....does that count?

[ibez]

Hey Rogerswann

I thought up this topic because I saw on a R.I. gun forum, some members/NRA Instructors was offering free Mass State Police LTC Class to people that wanted to qualify to get Mass Non Resident permits
just wanted to know if any R.I. member was here and interested in the info

[rogerswann]

I am a member on that forum as well (CRALRI). Seems to be some interest over there....I don't see too many RI posters here though.
I might attend the course, I am checking on the exemptions listed in the MA application to see if I might qualify.

[LenS]

I am a member on that forum as well (CRALRI). Seems to be some interest over there....I don't see too many RI posters here though.
I might attend the course, I am checking on the exemptions listed in the MA application to see if I might qualify.

There are NO exemptions from the training requirement to get your initial LTC as a resident or non-resident!

Returning combat vets require it, non-MA LEOs require it, etc.

If it is offered and you are looking to get a MA NR LTC, take advantage of the training opportunity.

[rogerswann]

There are NO exemptions

The application sent to me lists several reason why one would not need the firearms safety course. The application has a revision date of 11/01/06. I received it last week.
It would not suprise me if MA doesn't follow their own procedure, thats why I will be calling the CHSB to verify.

[LenS]

I'm going to try to verify the answer to this question (also asked in another active thread here). Give me a few days.

I know the MSP Captain who was handling the Instructor Certification & Licensing program. Regrettably, he retired at the end of December, so I don't know if I can still reach him, but I'll try to find the answer.

[LenS]

Got the answer, direct from GOAL's Chief of Staff.

MSP Instructor Certificates are ONLY necessary for MA "subjects". NRs can take an NRA course where they live and submit that. This is an exception to the law, one I was unaware of.

Sorry for the mis-information. Mea culpa.

[rogerswann]

The following quote is taken from line 8 of Non-Resident Application Instructions.

"The application states that first time applicants must submit a copy of a recent certificate showing completion of a basic firearm safety course given in their home state or in Massachusetts.This course must have been taken with an instructor who is certified by the Colonel of the Massachusetts State Police."

The bold faced sentence is bold faced in the application. This is the part that makes a non resident seek an instructor on the "list". It is kind of silly, because to become a "MA" certified instructor just entails filling out paperwork and providing your instructor credentials.
I requalify twice a year(federal) at a local Mass police department with their officers acting as range safety officers and this does not meet the firearms safety course, but I can go sit for 4 hours in a class run by someone who has jumped through the hoops to become a MA instructor and this qualifies. GO FIGURE!

[LenS]

Roger, the forms do not always reflect "reality" of how any state agency operates.

I'll take GOAL's word on this as to what is currently done. MGL gives the Col of the MSP the authority to make the rules for NR LTCs . . . and this is indeed different from MGL wrt Resident LTCs.

Since the state does not release any list of MSP Certified Instructors, this is a logical decision. How would someone in AZ (for example) find a MSP Certified Instructor?? Some states do publish a list, so folks in other states can find someone . . . MA is "different".

You are correct, only MA LEOs going thru MPTC are exempt from the training requirement here. Returning Veterans also have to go thru this BS. If you ever met the legislators (and bureaucrats) who wrote this garbage into law, it might be more understandable . . . I have met a number of these turds face to face.

[rogerswann]

Here, here on the "reality".
I am going to try and follow up on the non resident requirement. I did read the part about the Col's discretion, but didn't know how to find out if an NRA Pistol Instructor Course taken in RI would qualify. I'll make a call to the CHSB today and see what they say.

[LenS]

Better to call GOAL, 508-393-5333 x201. Tell Nancy that Len sent you.

GOAL sits on the Governor's Gun Control Advisory Board (by statute), which gen's up the CMRs (like CFRs for the state) that implements all the gun statutes.

The people who usually answer the phones at CHSB are NOT attorneys and know nothing about guns and almost nothing about the gun laws. They frequently give out WRONG info when asked legal questions. The only attorney there is the head honcho (not sure of her title) and she knows nothing about guns (she's friends with a gun lawyer that I know).

If you are an accredited Fed LEO, skip the LTC as it buys you nothing at all. MGL Ch. 140 S. 129C (o) allows ALL LEOs (from any jurisdiction w/in the US) to carry firearms in MA, exempt from the LTC requirement.

[rogerswann]

Hey LenS,

I got the call to CHSB made, but didn't get the post on Goal in time to call on friday. I'll give them a buzz next week. Thanks for the info.
The CHSB answer was what the application says, a "MA certified" instructor must give the training, res or non-res. He stated that some time ago a non-res didn't need to meet this requirement, but they were interpreting this wrong. That was the reason it shows up bold faced in the application.
I have a feeling even if CHSB is wrong, it will probably be easier to just take the MA course, especially since we already have it scheduled, and move on with getting the LTC as opposed to trying to correct the issue. I am not saying the battle is not worth fighting, just for the sake of expediting the process it is easier to just take the course.