HPD Chief outlines approved concealed carry license rules

HONOLULU (KHON2) — After a public hearing and a lengthy debate, the Honolulu Police Department has begun processing concealed carry licenses this week. Honolulu Police Chief Joe Logan laid out those requirements Tuesday, Nov. 22.

HPD said no concealed carry licenses have been issued yet on Oahu, but there are about 600 applications pending. This comes as the rules for getting licenses were just approved. They include, the application itself, a firearm registration, medical waiver, mental health authorization waiver, valid I.D. and completion of a four-hour training course to name a few.

“Understand firearm safety, understand the firearms law and chapter 703 which is justification of use of force which is what all our law enforcement officers understand so we’d want our citizens to understand also,” said Chief Joe Logan of the Honolulu Police Department.

Chief Logan said there’s no estimated date for when the first license will be issued, citing there might be hold ups with portions of the process like the mental health and medical evaluation.

808 Gun Club in Kakaako, just one of two indoor gun ranges on Oahu, has been slammed with gun owners calling and wanting to take the proficiency test. However, one of the issues is HPD needs to certify instructors before training and proficiency tests can be given.

“There’s actually the production of the lesson plan and the test requirements also have to be approved and that all must be approved by the police department,” said Russell Tanji, 808 Gun Club Instructor.

Meanwhile, Kauai police have already issued 31 concealed carry licenses, Hawaii County police issued 19 licenses, and Maui County police issued 18 licenses. Each county has its own requirements for training with Oahu the only county requiring a police department certified instructor.

“They’re going to take my application. They’re going to submit it to the police department’s Training Division who will look it over and decide whether my qualifications are good enough for them and that could be tomorrow, next week, next month or never,” said Andrew Namiki Roberts, Hawaii Firearms Coalition Director.

Next week, the Honolulu City Council will hold a special hearing on a sensitive places bill on where concealed carry would be banned.