Concealed carry is one thing, knowing when to fire is another

As Wisconsin was on its way to becoming the 49th state to allow the concealed carrying of weapons, arguments from advocates and critics alike grew fierce. Either the world would decay into a violent, dystopian blood-bath or criminals would overtake decent people deprived of their right to defend themselves.

Both seem like awful places to be.

Since the law changed Nov. 1, we haven't seen either of those paradigm shifts in our society, although the state has been busy processing permits for residents hoping to make use of concealed-carry.

Amid the partisan rhetoric is the law itself, a complex piece of legislation with plenty of shades of gray.

It's all about the situation

When the Elm Grove Police Department decided to hold its own classes to help folks satisfy the training requirements in the law, NOW thought someone should go to see what this law is all about.

I'm not a gun owner, but, along with some of my peers at NOW, I had been writing about concealed carry for weeks, months even.

Plus, I've seen every Arnold Schwarzenegger movie 100 times, so I was pretty confident I had this whole gun thing covered when I showed up to class.

Four hours and dozens of questions later, I realize the practical implications of the law go far beyond its Constitutional and ideological boundaries.

As we went through the law in all of its idiosyncrasies, question after question came up, usually from people wondering about specific scenarios. Maybe three out of four had clear answers under the law.

I learned, for instance, that you can't take a gun onto school property, but you can walk your dog on the sidewalk in front of the school even if you're carrying a concealed weapon. Shooting someone, even if you're just trying to wound them, is considered using "deadly force" by the law.

Also, under the so-called Castle doctrine, you can shoot someone attempting to carjack you when you're in the car, but if you walk out to your garage and someone is trying to steal your car without you in it, you can't shoot them.

As one officer put it, "Just because you're carrying concealed, doesn't make you the super hero of the neighborhood."

No super heroes here

From the look of the class, I didn't see too many potential activist crime fighters. In fact, the makeup of the class broke with my expectations.

Of the 14 people in the class, three were women. My tablemate and I were the only ones younger than 35. One man was in a wheelchair, another well into his 60s.

This was not a group of ne'er-do-wells or would-be tough guys. People were looking for information. Can I benefit from this law given the restrictions? Does this make sense for me? Without going to the class, these things are hard to know.

The conversation in class also raised questions I'd never thought of - like where would I carry a gun so it was both safe and accessible? When does self-defense move from justifiable homicide to just plain homicide?

Some of those answers are highly subjective and others more black and white. That's what we have a criminal justice system for. As Assistant Chief Gus Moulas said, it's hard to know how you'll react when you have to pull a gun.

"This is going to be the worst day of your life."

Class a good starting point

Our instructors offered some simple tips for staying safe while carrying a weapon. For instance, always treat the gun as if it's loaded, keep your finger off the trigger until you're ready to shoot, never point the gun at anything you aren't willing to destroy and always be aware of your target.

The only true hands-on part of the course was learning to unload a pistol - the law doesn't require a person learn to load a gun, just unload it.

More than one classmate mentioned they would probably go to the range before feeling comfortable carrying a concealed gun. The safety class is meant to be a starting point.

Knowledge is power

There's a reason Wisconsin made it mandatory for all those who intend to carry a concealed weapon to take this class: The law is too complex and the safety issues too paramount for a person to be metaphorically shooting blind.

Demand for these classes has been so great, the Police Department has doubled its offerings, adding even more classes in January. The law may or may not have put guns in the hands of people who otherwise would never have had them. At least the class puts knowledge in their hands, too.

Peter Bukowski covers Elm Grove for NOW. Follow him on Twitter, @PBukowski_CNI.

Next Step

If you want to take a CCW class, there are spots available in a class recently added in Elm Grove

WHO: Elm Grove Police

WHAT: Firearm Safety Course

WHEN: 9 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Jan. 7

WHERE: Elm Grove Village Hall, 13600 Juneau Blvd.