Effort aims to conceal names of weapon holders

(AP) - Nevada law enforcement officials said they will support efforts in the Legislature to make the names of people who have concealed weapons permits confidential.

The Nevada Supreme Court ruled in June that individual applications for permits are confidential, but the names of permit holders are public record.

The ruling was in response to a Reno newspaper's request for

information about concealed weapons permits involving Gov. Jim Gibbons.

The Republican governor had his permit revoked in 2009 because he had not been certified with all the weapons listed on his certificate.

During a meeting Thursday of the Nevada Sheriffs and Chiefs Association, executive director Frank urged permit holders to contact their legislators about the issue.

Several people who attended expressed concern that having the names of permit holders made public could tip off burglars about where to find weapons.

"I'm extremely concerned about the release of those names due to the number of home invasions in Clark County," said John Fisher of Las Vegas. "It's not right, and I foresee many problems."

Beryl Love, executive editor of the Reno Gazette-Journal, said it was never the intent of the newspaper to publish the names of permit holders, and it will not do so. He said the newspaper wanted to learn more about the Gibbons matter and determine if the rules for permits were being ignored in other cases.

"Any permits the state manages should be open to inspection, whether it's a for CCW or a lemonade stand," Love said. "That's the only way to be able to see if these things are being done fairly or if the process is being abused."