LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (KAIT) – On Tuesday, Jan. 17 a bill advanced through a House committee that would allow city fire department bomb squads to conceal carry and make arrests during explosive threats.
According to our content-sharing partner, the bill is sponsored by Rep. Stephen Meeks who presented the bill Tuesday morning with Todd Cardin, the Conway Fire Department’s bomb squad commander.
Cardin says that this law would protect bomb technicians who fear for their lives each time they respond to a call.
“I won’t be a bomb tech forever,” Cardin said. “When I leave, I want to protect my guys and have them protected.”
If the bill passes, the law will only apply to situations where bomb technicians are responding to threats. Meeks pointed out that Arkansas’ open-carry status means the techs could legally have a gun on them at any point, but this would allow them to conceal carry if the situation needed it.
Legislators from both sides expressed concerns over the language of the bill and its potential impacts.
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