Healey calls for stripping police chiefs of gun-licensing role
Lieutenant Governor Kerry M . Healey yesterday called for stripping local police chiefs of the power to issue gun licenses and transferring the responsibility to a specially appointed state public safety official, a proposal that puts in her line with the agenda of the Massachusetts gun owners' lobby.
The new position by Healey, who has received a 95 percent rating from the Gun Owners Action League and its endorsement for governor, was announced just a day after her campaign issued a statement to the Globe saying that she believes the current laws are appropriate in protecting public safety without infringing on the rights of gun owners.
But yesterday she shifted on what both sides in the gun-control debate say is a major issue. Her new position calls for establishing statewide standards for granting gun permits and creating a special position in the state Department of Public Safety that would have sole authority to license gun owners. It would be a major shift in gun-control laws, which now give broad discretion to local police chiefs.
``My proposal would be to elevate that position to a state body, so that citizens of the Commonwealth . . . could have the same standards applied to their application to carry or possess a gun," Healey said at a news conference. ``At this moment, your ability is . . . completely controlled by the police chief. I think we have a need for a standard set of regulations. . . . that would be much better done at a state level, not a local level."
The Gun Owners Action League and opponents of gun control say that current laws give too much power to local police chiefs in issuing permits and that many of chiefs abuse the authority. But gun-control advocates say that local police are familiar with applicants and their personal issues and can best determine who should be carrying a gun in their communities.
The Globe reported yesterday that Healey had received the Gun Owners Action League's endorsement after filling out the group's questionnaire, which asked candidates whether they agree with its agenda to weaken state gun-control laws. Law enforcement officials and criminologists say many of the issues that the league is pushing would undercut crime fighting.
Healey has refused to release a copy of her responses to the gun-policy questionnaire, saying it is up to the league to release it. The league said it does not release candidates' answers.
But the questionnaire on which she received a very high score asks candidates if they support or oppose ballistic fingerprinting, easing restrictions on giving gun permits to people with police records, and curbing the powers of police chiefs in the licensing process.
Democratic nominee Deval L. Patrick did not fill out the questionnaire. Independent Christy Mihos also received a 95 percent rating.
Healey has sought to craft an image as a tough crime fighter in her campaign against Patrick, whom she describes as soft on crime.
Adrienne Samuels of the Globe staff contributed to this report. 