MIKE BRAUN Training starts for new Ohio CCW law

With Ohio's new concealed-carry weapons law prepared to go into effect within two months or so, the training required before a permit can be acquired has begun in earnest.
One such training class will be held most every Saturday and Sunday at the Youngstown Rifle and Pistol Club's Shaffer Road range and clubhouse.
Leading classes
Leading the two-day training classes is Rick Kaleda of Youngstown, a National Rifle Association-certified instructor.
Kaleda, a member of Ohioans for Concealed Carry as well as the NRA, will take those looking to acquire a concealed-carry permit through a 16-hour training effort that "basically takes you from never having seen a gun before to loading and maintenance and handling safely," Kaleda said. "This course is very, very basic compared to what other states do."
He said the cost for the course at the club will be $100.
"I had hoped to run classes a little less expensive," he said. However, mandatory insurance for instructors can run to a million dollars, he said. "The premiums are very high," Kaleda said.
Variables in facility rental and insurance will make prices vary from instructor to instructor, he said.
Despite the cost, Kaleda said that his phone has been ringing off the hook nearly since the day the law was signed by the governor.
"It's been nonstop since January," he said.
Kaleda stressed that those interested in taking a course such as his make sure that the instructor is certified, either by the NRA or by the Ohio Peace Officer Training Commission. Instructors should not have a problem with displaying or showing their certification on request of their students, Kaleda said.
Encourages request
"I encourage all students looking to take such a course to verify the instructor's certification," he said. NRA certification can be confirmed by calling (703) 267-1430.
He explained the course will be handled over two days to delve into all the techniques and aspects of concealed carry including hands-on gun handling, holstering and clothing.
"I have a retired police officer come in and talk about the use of lethal force," he said.
Kaleda said the training is based on the NRA basic pistol course with several more hours tacked on for supplemental information.
"This course meets all requirements for Ohio's newly passed CCW law," he said. "We have worked very closely with the [Ohio] attorney general's office in making sure of that."
What those who participate get when they successfully complete the two-day course is an NRA-issued certificate and a course-completion document that lists the exact course curriculum.
Kaleda and assistant Pete Mongeau of Lordstown feel that safety is paramount.
"That is the single most important aspect of the course," Kaleda said.
The two men have about 10 years of concealed-carry permits between them by virtue of Pennsylvania's law, among the oldest in the United States, Kaleda said.
"In Pennsylvania the permits are $19 for five years and there is no training required," he said. "You can also get them via the mail."
Obtain permit
Once the training course is successfully completed, an application for a concealed-carry permit can then be obtained.
Those seeking a permit will need to submit an application to the sheriff of their county of residence or an adjacent county and pay a nonrefundable permit fee of $45 (with a few exceptions based on military and law enforcement experience). Concealed-carry licenses in Ohio will be good for four years before renewal is required.
Kaleda said that the new law goes into effect April 8.
"There is some paperwork that remains to be completed, so it could be longer than that" before the law actually takes effect, he said.
More information on Ohio's concealed-carry law is available on the Web site of the Ohio Attorney General's office at www.ag.state.oh.us.
braun@vindy.com