TexasCHLforum.com

Been lurking here for months, Ya'll have been a wealth of info, hope this post is ok, but I need some guidance.

My Wife and I completed our CHL class Saturday. Our instructor was a 30yr LEO with a major County Agency. Claiming that he had qualified 70,000 chl holders.?? Our test was dated from 2005 and had several errors since presentation was based on pre 2007 legislation. So far you're wondering what's the big deal? No real problem with the above, just setting the scene for a question and answer session we had. I have been studying the current statutes, TEXAS GUN LAWS book, and primarily this forum for a couple of months to prepare for the responsibility of carrying concealed. So here is as close to an actual verbatim quote that I can give and I ask for your opinion of what I should do. The class had 30 students who were taught this, my wife and I know that the information was 180 degrees wrong.

Instructor: "So what happens if I am carrying my handgun in my car, stop at a bar, leave the pistol in the car, go into the bar and get completely drunk, leave the bar carrying two bottles of tequila??"-----

Instructor: " I know I can't drive, I'll get a DWI" "But can I get my weapon out of the car, conceal it, and take my tequila for a walk down the street"

ME "ABSOLUTELY NOT! it is unlawful carry to be intoxicated."

Instructor: "BULL BUTTER" If I get stopped, I would get a slap on the wrist for Public Intoxication, but it is completely legal to be drunk and carry my weapon."

ME "REALLY?" I know that I read it was illegal.

Instructor: (With Bravado) ""Yea I think it's bad and me and my instructor buddies have been trying to get it changed."
"There are no blood alcohol restrictions"

I thought to myself, well Mr Instructor if you new the current statutes, it is illegal.


My problem is that my life experience has carried me through the MP Corps, Been a Captain of a Volunteer Fire Department, and held a TABC Certification. My soul is troubled, I don't know if I'm making too much of this, but for someone who has seen what Alcohol does to humans,, I can't believe that now there are at least 28 new people applying for their CHLs who were told by a LEO that it is OK to be drunk and carry. He's been certifying for years, I can count 6 classes on the flyer I picked up over a 6 week period.

I don't know what to do, After the verbal interaction, and Scoring 100 on the written and the highest on the shooting,
I'm worried if I did say something, he would surely know where it came from.

I just don't want anyone hurt or arrested, I know it is our own personal responsibility to make ourselves aware of the current law, but having a man with a badge make such a huge point of it in your class, not sure if the others will.

Please respond with your wisdom and thank you for your patience.

As a newly licensed Instructor as of last Friday, my suggestion is to report him to the CHL unit in Austin if you think it is warranted.

They will review the instructor and possibly send someone to his class. If he is indeed being irresponsible in his instruction, and giving less than legal advice to his students he definately does not need to be instructing other new CHL folks.

I am not saying this because of anything other than the integrity of the Instructor program. That was something that they did focus on stress last week. A few bad apples can cause problems up and down the CHL system.

My understanding from my instuctor a couple of years ago; because "There are no blood alcohol restrictions", it was taken to mean that CHL holders could be held to a a "lower" standard that driving.

I guess it could be taken the other way, but I don't believe that is the way this is usually explained.

I would say that probably isn't a best practice for a CHL instructor.

I think the instructor is an idiot!

Tell me which bar you can go to and get "completely drunk", then take off premises two bottles of anything containing alcohol? If that was the hypothetical situation he presented, he really needs a brush up on a lot of things..


surv

Forget the Instructor and use your own good judgement: alcohol mixed with gunpowder makes a drink most vile.

It sounds like this self-aggrandizing instructor guy you describe should be avoided in the classroom and out.

Claiming that he had qualified 70,000 chl holders.??

Really??? With 402914 licensees and 1881 instructors, an average per instructor would be 214. Actually, the average would be lower since some of the 402914 would have been taught by no longer active instructors.

Yet, he's done 70,000 by himself. At the very least, he's untruthful.

If he charged $100 each, that would be $7,000,000 income. Wonder what he reported to IRS?

mr surveyor wrote:I think the instructor is an idiot!

Tell me which bar you can go to and get "completely drunk", then take off premises two bottles of anything containing alcohol? If that was the hypothetical situation he presented, he really needs a brush up on a lot of things..


surv

That was my first thought, too. He can't walk out of the bar with his alcohol in the first place. He's wrong in sooo many ways. You corrected him and he obstinately refused your correction. If you thought his attitude put people at risk, I would go to the licensing agency and tell them that you think he might need to be brought up to date before teaching another class.

Mike1951 wrote:

Claiming that he had qualified 70,000 chl holders.??

Really??? With 402914 licensees and 1881 instructors, an average per instructor would be 214. Actually, the average would be lower since some of the 402914 would have been taught by no longer active instructors.

Yet, he's done 70,000 by himself. At the very least, he's untruthful.

If he charged $100 each, that would be $7,000,000 income. Wonder what he reported to IRS?

That's why I mentioned that,,,, very full of oneself. I did the math but, didn't push the point. when i realized he would have taught 4666 people a year for the last fifteen years, the number itself bothered me.

If you don't want to post the instructor's name here, at least notify the CHL staff at DPS. Please!

Instructor: "So what happens if I am carrying my handgun in my car, stop at a bar, leave the pistol in the car, go into the bar and get completely drunk, leave the bar carrying two bottles of tequila??"-----

Instructor: " I know I can't drive, I'll get a DWI" "But can I get my weapon out of the car, conceal it, and take my tequila for a walk down the street"

Well you can if you are stupid enough to do so, but you'll be in violation of the Penal Code:

PC 46.035 Unlawful Carrying of Handgun By License Holder:
(a)....................
(b)...............
(c).............
"(d) A license holder commits an offense if, while intoxicated, the license holder carries a handgun under the authority of Subchapter H, Chapter 411, Government Code, regardless of whether the handgun is concealed."

(P. 40 of the handbook)

There is ZERO tolerence with Alcohol and guns , he should know that as an instructor. I tell all my students , if your gonna have some drinks seprate yourself from your handgun.
This guy is special... but not in a good way...

When I did my initial CHL class years back the instructor I had came off as kind of arrogant. I remember someone asked something like "Ok Im driving down the highway and another driver is motioning me to pull over because he wants to fight....what should I do?" Im siting there thinking well I would call 911 and report this. The instructor said "Well you could hold up your gun and profile it...not point it at them." Im thinking did he REALLY just say that? Every situation is going to be different sure. But when it comes to alcohol its pretty cut and dry. I just did my renewel class. That very issue was brought up naturally. If you are going to drink. just dont carry. Its not worth it.

The things is if this instructor is giving out bad information like this some poor CHL holder is gonna end up in trouble. And just sets a very bad example.

garcia946 wrote:There is ZERO tolerence with Alcohol and guns :

Yes, and a personal opinion of mine as well..

But I assume your not speaking as a CHL instructor quoting from the law, or some training you received while certifying for your instructors certificate.???

bronco78 wrote:

garcia946 wrote:There is ZERO tolerence with Alcohol and guns :

Yes, and a personal opinion of mine as well..

But I assume your not speaking as a CHL instructor quoting from the law, or some training you received while certifying for your instructors certificate.???

NO niether just common sense and being safe , but then again I dont drink....

I'll just throw this out to you to consider as a possibility: Was he referring to himself with his comment, or a CHL holder?

If he was referring to himself, then he is correct. As an LEO there is nothing unlawful that I know of. Maybe he thought that CHLs should be entitled to the same set of rules.

Having said all of that, I would not be surprised if your interpretation of what was said is correct. As with any business, there are those that are in it for the right reasons, and those that are in it for the wrong reasons, or let greed take over. I've heard a few horror stories similar to yours, and encourage you to take the action that you deem appropriate. I just wanted to toss out another interpretation, so that you're sure of yours before you pursue anything further.