PSA: Pepper Spray Announcement

[rmd]

Pepper spray! It's not just for inappropriate use on protesters any more!

It occurs to me that some MA-local folks on my friends list may not be aware of the MA laws around pepper spray. You need a permit to buy and carry pepper spray in this state. The minimum permit required is a "restricted firearms ID card". Unlike regular firearms ID cards or the licenses to carry, the restricted firearms ID card doesn't require any education or training stuff.

All you have to do to get a restricted firearms ID card is go down to your local police department and fill out a form and give them $25. It'll take a bit of time for them to do the background check stuff to make sure you're not secretly a felon or war criminal or something, but the permit is a "shall-issue", meaning that you can automatically get one unless there's a specific reason you can't.

The most convenient place in the camberville area to get pepper spray is roach's sporting goods over in porter square. I don't know how their selection is.

Comments

[donnad.livejournal.com]

And when you go to buy it, they WILL ASK TO SEE THE ID.

They do a background check, require references, and will fingerprint and photograph you. You also have to give a reason you want an ID. For protection when walking at night is usually sufficient. If you move from one town to another, you have to inform them within 30 days or face a fine.

I've had an FID since I was 15, back when you could get one at 15, now I believe you have to be 18.

Waiting on my renewal now.

[rmd.livejournal.com]

I've had an FID since I was 15, back when you could get one at 15
... since back when they didn't expire!

[donnad.livejournal.com]

Yep and if I could have found my old one, I wouldn't have had to go through reapplying, just a renewal, but since I had no clue where the card was I had to start at the beginning.