In many places in Michigan, if you're carrying concealed with an expired concealed pistol license or inadvertently cover an otherwise openly carried handgun, you're likely to get a warning from law enforcement. In Wayne County, there's a good chance you'll be charged with a five year felony.
Earlier this month, former Detroit Police Department detective Marcellus Ball filed a whistleblower lawsuit after a steep increase in CCW (carrying a concealed weapon) charges in the city. “You're a supervisor and you make the statement that everybody in the car if a gun is found, everybody is going to jail, I don't care what the circumstances are,” Ball said he was told.
This has been a controversial topic within MCRGO. Supporters of strict CCW law enforcement say it's an effective way to get illegal guns off the street and has worked in reducing violent crime and making cities safer. They point out that many of the people charged are far from innocent and that ignorance of the law is no excuse. Our members who have taken this point of view argue that law-abiding, responsible gun owners should support charges against those who illegally carry concealed.
The other side of the argument is that because Michigan's allied gun groups support constitutional carry, we should oppose enforcement of CCW charges for carrying concealed without a license. Some people charged in Wayne County are concealed pistol license holders carrying with an expired license. Opponents of Wayne County's aggressive enforcement point out that 70% of the people charged legally owned the firearm and that 97% are Black. This raises racial justice issues as historically many gun control laws have been directed against minorities, particularly Black men.
House Bill 4003 currently pending before the Michigan House of Representatives would eliminate the five year felony for carrying concealed with a concealed pistol license that has been expired for less than one year provided the person is still qualified to obtain a CPL.
