Clay County Law Enforcement Working to Gain Access to Mental Health Records for Potential Conceal & Carry Permits

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Gun Violence and mental health continue to be two major problems in our country.

In North Dakota and Minnesota, the conceal carry permit process does not look into mental health history.

But are local law enforcement trying to change that Brittany?
 
TJ and Alison, we’ve seen multiple incidents of gun violence that have been related to mental health issues.

Two law enforcement agencies are taking steps to help prevent a tragedy from happening.
 
Easy access to guns and people who suffer from mental health illnesses are common ingredients for gun violence.

Moorhead Police say that they have had to increase mental health officer training in response to an increase in calls.
 
“We continue to see a rise in those types of calls for service involving mental health and issues associated with,” says Fargo Police Lieutenant Tory Jacobson.
 
Recognizing the trend, the Clay County Sheriff’s Office is taking action.

They are trying to gain access to medical records and history when applying for a conceal carry permit.
 
“Every now and again we get this well how did that person slip through, and get a permit because it’s not public information that we can get,” says Clay County Sheriff Bill Bergquist.
 
“Conceal carry test administrators say that they don’t believe there is loop holes in the background process that will allow a gun to get in the hands of the wrong person.”
 
Conceal and carry test administrator Ken Gaffrey explained that he doesn’t believe that adding the requirement will end gun violence.
 
“The gun show loop hole that so many politicians bring up is really private sale type of thing,” says Gaffrey.
 
The Sheriff’s office will continue to push for a change will help from the public.
 
“The day we hear more and more crime and violence the more the public gets worked up start talking to their legislature that’s what it’s going to take,” says Sheriff Bergquist.

We reached out to the Cass County Sheriff’s Office, and did not receive a comment.

Sheriff Bergquist did say that there has been talks as well in Cass County of trying to add the requirement to the North Dakota conceal carry process.

Reporting live, Brittany Ford, KVRR News.