Promoting the right to bear arms and defend yourself, a California sheriff is encouraging law-abiding concealed-carry holders in his jurisdiction to help safeguard themselves and others.
Sheriff Mike Boudreaux of Tulare County, Calif., recently took to Twitter to make a statement in support of the Second Amendment.
Sheriff Boudreaux tweeted: “I encourage all CCW holders in Tulare County to exercise your rights. Do so legally and only with a valid permit. Secure our communities and protect life by being able to defend ourselves against active shooters, threats to life and those who use guns for criminal behavior.”
Reactions ran the gamut. Some commenters suggested the county was like the Wild West. Other commenters reacted positively, with responses like: “I want to move to your county” and “Thank you Sheriff Boudreaux for believing in the Citizens of Tulare County and for encouraging us to take our protection seriously!”
Sheriff Boudreaux elaborated on his Twitter message in an email to America’s 1st Freedom: “I’m incredibly tired of hearing stories of these active shooters taking innocent lives all over the country. With the most recent shootings in Gilroy, El Paso and Dayton, I wanted to send a message to the people I swore to protect. I want to make it very clear to them that they have the right to protect themselves. We need to even the playing field. It’s so disheartening to hear about families’ lives being shattered in an instant. If something like those horrific active shooter incidents was to happen here, I want the people of my county to be able to defend themselves. None of us are immune.”
With a population of over 479,000, Tulare County spans over 4,863 square miles. It is partially located in Sequoia national park and forest. Sheriff Boudreaux oversees a staff of 877 people in his department and activities in four substations as well as detention facilities.
“We don’t have irresponsible people carrying firearms here,” he noted. “I have more than 10,000 gun permits issued in my county. In the thousands that we’ve issued, we’ve had zero issues with law abiding citizens who are carrying concealed weapons. But how many criminals are out there that were never issued guns, but got ahold of them anyway, and used them to commit crimes? It happens every day. So when you have people who aren’t going to obey the law anyway, and then you have those who will obey the law and use those guns responsibly and reasonably, why would we not want to level that playing field?”
Sheriff Boudreaux is an experienced lawman who began his career at age 19. He is a graduate of the FBI National Academy in Quantico, Va.; and the Los Angeles Police Department’s Westpoint Leadership academy. He holds a Master’s in Justice and Security, and a Bachelor’s in Criminal Justice. Boudreaux was an adjunct professor of Criminal Justice at Fresno Pacific University.
“It is my belief that the law-abiding citizen, who has gone through the Department of Justice, as well as local law enforcement background checks, with no red flags, should have the ability to carry a concealed weapon in the event something dangerous and tragic occurs,” he stated.
