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‘A Great Day’: Police Chief Celebrates After Newspaper Pulls Request for Gun Permit Info

Feb. 15, 2013 12:28pm Madeleine Morgenstern

Milo, Maine Police Chief Celebrates As Bangor Daily News Pulls Request for Gun Permit Info

A map published by New York’s Journal News pinpointing the homes of residents with gun permits. Maine’s Bangor Daily News has dropped a request for similar data on permit holders in the state. (Image source: lohud.com)

A Maine newspaper has dropped its request to get the names of every concealed weapons permit holder in the state after backlash from Republican lawmakers and the public.

The Bangor Daily News said in an editor’s note on its website Friday morning that it had informed state agencies it was rescinding its request for the information after it drew comparisons to a New York newspaper that published a map pinpointing the homes of gun permit holders in December.

“We are disappointed with the reaction to our request, which we felt was with the best intentions to help study issues affecting Maine through an analysis of publicly available data,” the newspaper said. “We will continue our reporting, but will use other sources of information to do so.”

Milo Police Chief Damien Pickel trumpeted the newspaper’s decision to back down, calling it “a great day.” Pickel had taken to the police department’s Facebook page on Thursday to warn residents that he had been asked to turn over the names of permit holders. While he was opposed to releasing the information, he said he was bound by law to do so and urged residents to contact their local representatives.

“We’re a small town, the town of Milo has less than 2,500 people who live in it. The police department is three full-time officers,” Pickel told TheBlaze. “That was my intent with all of this, just to let the people of my town know this was maybe going to happen.”

Pickel’s original post Thursday morning was shared more than 700 times and received more than 300 comments. He said the response was mixed, with residents thanking him for drawing attention to the newspaper’s request and others wondering why he wasn’t doing more to stop it.

“There’s been folks that have really appreciated what I’ve done by posting it and then there are those that actually thought that I lacked the courage to stand up and fight it,” Pickel said. “Actually by me posting it was my way of fighting it. Because me as the chief, I have to follow the law, the law states that you have to give them the opportunity to review the files.”

Pickel, who was a New York police officer and detective for 20 years before becoming Milo’s police chief in 2011, said he was particularly concerned that publicizing permit information could identify domestic violence survivors who carry concealed weapons for their own protection.

“You’re putting them right back out there on the forefront, you’re putting a target on those people,” he said. “Part of my job as the chief or just as a police officer is to protect the public, and I believe that this information serves no news value whatsoever. It’s not newsworthy. If anything it’s creating news, it’s really endangering lives.”

In an editor’s note Thursday afternoon, and then reiterated in its announcement Friday, the Bangor Daily News said it never had any intention of publishing personally identifiable information of any permit holders.

Maine Republican Gov. Paul LePage also praised the newspaper’s decision to stand down on Friday. He had previously tweeted a photo of himself holding his own concealed-carry permit with the caption: “If newspapers want to know who has concealed weapons permits, they should know I do.”

“Good decision by BDN. Mainers’ safety is a priority,” LePage tweeted Friday.

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Related:

Town Police Chief Issues Warning on Facebook About Newspaper’s Request for Gun Permit Information

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Comments (57)

Saff SGT
Posted on February 15, 2013 at 3:20pm
we have the power why do we sit on our back sides and let Liberals run everything

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- Grey Eagle
  Posted on February 15, 2013 at 6:46pm
  Florida does not revealed information about concealed weapons license holders. They apparently have some common sense.
  
  Report this comment
- turkey13
  Posted on February 15, 2013 at 8:44pm
  Everyone should do like me! I have a no fly list and NY & NYC are at the top. That means I won’t travel there and I won’t spend any money on a vender from them & that includes Amazon & E-Bay. If you hit those ignorant folks that keep voting them in office in the pocket book they might get educated. This paper would do a better service to the community if they showed where all the Phedophiles, Q_ueers & L_izzies live.
  
  Report this comment
- midcoastmainepatriot
  Posted on February 15, 2013 at 9:21pm
  People from Mass. and NY,NJ, Vt. etc etc etc Should NOT be allowed to Vote for at least 10 YEARS when they move to another state!!!!!! They have Totally screwed Maine ( as well as the whole country ) Last year we got **** matrimony, Angus ‘ Moon-Bat’ King and of course the re-election of the Head of the Progressive Caucus Congress-Skank Chellie Pingree….(Nancy BelaPilosi’s Pet )…..whose husband happens to own……… wait for it!!!!….THE BANGOR DAILY TURD….and The Portland Press Herald. 2 of the most Unreadable, Liberal Pablum-Puking, Suck-up Rags on this Planet !!! Populated by Odumbo Lackeys, Rump-Swabs and Throne-Sniffers!!!!!! But thank God for our Governor PAUL LEPAGE and the very strong Tea Party we have in Maine we keep beating them back….Liberty Or Death….Never Give Up, Never, Never, Never !!!
  
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Saff SGT
Posted on February 15, 2013 at 3:19pm
tell your elected to do as you tell them or you will kick their assssses out and replace them with real Americans

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afvetfirewoman
Posted on February 15, 2013 at 3:17pm
Congratulations people of the great State of Maine, and you Law Enforcement Officers for helping you stop that foolishness.

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Saff SGT
Posted on February 15, 2013 at 3:07pm
2500 people can over run that shity little news paper fast, show them who is Boss its you not a frigging lefty Wing paper

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JimTheBrew
Posted on February 15, 2013 at 2:23pm
I can understand if a newspaper makes a request for towns to submit the NUMBER of cc holders for statistical purposes but there is ONLY ONE reason for NAMES to be submitted. To go into a database for future confiscation prior to 21st century version of “Night of the Long Knives”

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- Saff SGT
  Posted on February 15, 2013 at 3:02pm
  shoot back be the short knives
  
  Report this comment
- Ran60
  Posted on February 15, 2013 at 3:18pm
  I’m sure our leftist friends and their MSM would have had a different take on this story, if the newspaper had listed the names and addresses of, oh lets say…HOMOSEXUALS or JEWS??
  
  Report this comment
- midcoastmainepatriot
  Posted on February 15, 2013 at 9:58pm
  I want the list of all the welfare/ EBT and Food Stamp leaches !!!!!!!!!!! But the ACLU zombies would be screaming from the roof-tops on that…..funny they didn’t care about the CC Permits…..The silence is deafening
  
  Report this comment
jackact
Posted on February 15, 2013 at 2:08pm
Small victories all across this nation will culminate in the future into BIG victories that will preserve the 2nd amendment to the US Constitution in perpetuity. As the empty suit takes the podium today in Chicago remember that in this violent bankrupt city that boasts the worst public school system and highest gun murder rate in America that 100% of all guns used in violent crime are illegal and unregistered. No gun law can ever change that disturbing truth.

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malbro
Posted on February 15, 2013 at 1:59pm
Left wing paper..The Bangor Daily news infuriated me during the Presidential Election .Part of the liberal media.Will never think of ordering that paper again…I realy was surprised they were that far left….Subscriptions down I hope……………

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- stumpy68
  Posted on February 15, 2013 at 4:31pm
  I stopped my subscription years ago
  dont know many people who still recieve it
  mostly older people to whom it has become a habit.
  
  Report this comment
magnum357
Posted on February 15, 2013 at 1:40pm
I wish they would post the house holds who do not have guns that would make things much easier. Maybe they could even post a household inventory.

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The_Cabrito_Goat
Posted on February 15, 2013 at 1:40pm
Gun owner’s whose private info is published have, multiple times, become victims, for having their private info published. If you don’t think registration leads to trouble, there is evidence to the contrary.

http://www.theblaze.com/stories/2013/01/13/house-identified-on-ny-papers-gun-map-burglarized-and-the-robbers-went-straight-for-the-guns/

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John.Galt
Posted on February 15, 2013 at 1:34pm
Seems like a good reason to NEVER REGISTER A GUN. After all, what right does a friggin newspaper have to endanger MY FAMILY?

This is why Gannett had to hire ARMED GUARDS for ALL of their employees at that newspaper, including for their HOMES.

If a newspaper claims “it has a RIGHT” to endanger MY FAMILY, THEN I HAVE A RIGHT TO ENDANGER THEIRS. Whether that entails publishing ALL the employee NAMES AND HOME ADDRESSES (like happened to Gannett, AFTER ALL IT IS PUBLIC INFORMATION), or even something more…

I see a new revolution on the horizon… looks more like a FRENCH revolution than an American revolution… OFF WITH THEIR HEADS!

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- Saff SGT
  Posted on February 15, 2013 at 3:10pm
  I like the tone of your voice, just need some more teeth to become a reality
  
  Report this comment
The American
Posted on February 15, 2013 at 1:20pm
Just an FYI to all, guess who owns the Bangor Daily News? Thats right our esteemed congresswoman Chellie Pingree! ………..Now does it surprise anyone?

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- momrules
  Posted on February 15, 2013 at 1:27pm
  A democrat who received her marching orders from the White House no doubt.
  
  Report this comment
progressiveslayer
Posted on February 15, 2013 at 1:15pm
The rags lawyers probably scared them with claims of exposing themselves to potential lawsuits,at least I hope that was the case.

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moreteaplease
Posted on February 15, 2013 at 1:08pm
“We are disappointed with the reaction to our request, which we felt was with the best intentions to help study issues affecting Maine through an analysis of publicly available data,”
——————————————-
What a load of bull!!! How stupid do they people are? I noticed that they didn’t give any examples of these so called “issues” they are referring to. The only issue I see here is a toilet paper manufacturer trying to push the progressive agenda.

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- John.Galt
  Posted on February 15, 2013 at 1:26pm
  No, they just didn’t want to have TO HIRE ARMED GUARDS FOR ALL THEIR EMPLOYEES LIKE GANNETT DID! Plus, the lawsuits are already pending AGAINST GANNET FOR ENDANGERING BOTH GUN OWNERS AND NON-GUN OWNERS.
  
  Leave it to the lib-tards. It is the IGNORANCE of thieves that keeps them from breaking into homes. If they KNOW THERE ARE NO GUNS IN THE TARGET HOUSE, OF COURSE THEY WILL BREAK IN! Which is why England, with its strict gun control, has a very high home invasion rate – especially occupied homes. Criminals are not scared of homeowners when they know no guns are present.
  
  Of course criminals are also typically DUMB… so they might not notice the difference between Concealed Carry permit and a run of the mill gun owner. What a surprise when they get a shotgun in their face!
  
  Report this comment
momrules
Posted on February 15, 2013 at 1:07pm
If every Police Chief would do as Chief Pickel did and make the citizens aware of this type of intrusion by leftist newspapers the call to release this information would soon stop.

The populace needs armed with information as well as guns to be safe in this troubling New America.

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Cavallo
Posted on February 15, 2013 at 1:00pm
Now they need to quickly get a law passed to protect the privacy of its citizens, even a local ordinance might do depending on the nature of the state constitution.

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RaydocX
Posted on February 15, 2013 at 1:00pm
Notice, fans, that the small town police chiefs are the chiefs who worked in the big cities on the blue line standing up to protect the citizens…

they are sadly nearly the only police brass who recognize the true issues and the real presence of evil in the world, and so stand up for the Second Amendment. The political animals in the big cities are as removed from the rank and file as this President is from nearly half of the nation.

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RaydocX
Posted on February 15, 2013 at 12:57pm
What a load of cr@p ‘analysis of publicly available data’…
They are disappointed there was resistance to their putting a portion of the population at risk, is all.
There is not analysis being done by journalists today… they parrot the talking points spewed by the Democratic party and/ or their own personal bias without regard to troublesome things like facts.

And while this IS a victory for common sense, it is sadly just a skirmish in the broader war… as soon as they believe it is safe they will again attempt to obtain this information, or other information, with similarly transparent claims and with obvious ulterior motives.

What is necessary will be to find the lever to counter their expected repeated push… maybe a demand of their advertisers as being ‘publicly available’ in order to suggest to such advertisers that perhaps supporting a biased rag is not in their best interest. outing editors addresses in the past failed, because they simply responded by paying (through the company, of course) for the protection that they want to deny John Q Public.

The Fourth Estate has forgotten that their charge is to seek the truth and present it… As soon as they fall prey to spreading propaganda and abandon fact checking, their respected and protected positions should be forgotten as well.

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cessna152
Posted on February 15, 2013 at 12:53pm
Seriously though, when are we gonna’ start taking these dopes to court and pressing charges? They keep doing this BS over and over and I’ve had about enough of this crap!

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- Fubared
  Posted on February 15, 2013 at 1:03pm
  It will never be enough, they will keep up the pressure. A thousand cuts until they get their way. Backlash is a pretty nice word to use until the flash point-
  
  Report this comment
- civilwarcometh
  Posted on February 15, 2013 at 1:04pm
  Yep they arm our enemy’s while trying to disarm us. We have a Communist Islamist loving government. http://www.wnd.com/2013/02/sources-confirm-u-s-gun-running-to-jihadists/
  
  Report this comment
- civilwarcometh
  Posted on February 15, 2013 at 1:10pm
  Today behind closed doors WHY?!?!http://newsdoors.blogspot.com/2013/02/obama-goes-back-to-supreme-court-of-us.html
  
  Report this comment
strawberry411a
Posted on February 15, 2013 at 12:51pm
If only conservatives were as evil and vindictive as the average “intellectual” liberal. We would have been at war years ago.

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DJR
Posted on February 15, 2013 at 12:49pm
Happy to see they listened to the public outcry. Thank you Chief Pickel for speaking out. Although the paper was in their legal right to the information, releasing the information would have been a possible danger to those on the list just like in NY.

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Saff SGT
Posted on February 15, 2013 at 12:48pm
I do not forgive them they are still the same except they saw all the folks against them and decided$$$$ to not do this. I say destroy them anyway the war continues

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cessna152
Posted on February 15, 2013 at 12:43pm
Would the papers be so kind to list the names of People receiving government aid? Husbands that cheat on spouses? Occupy wall streeters and their supporters? People that have bought more than 2 bottles of wine in a 5 day period? Liberals that have not paid their taxes?

Why not? It’s for the safety of our society..right?

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- Shasta
  Posted on February 15, 2013 at 12:47pm
  Wives that cheat on spouses?
  
  Report this comment
Stoic one
Posted on February 15, 2013 at 12:39pm
It was only by shining the light of publicity on what this media outlet was doing, that this was stopped. Good job to all that did so! (police chief, Blaze, & I am sure others).

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- Magyar
  Posted on February 15, 2013 at 12:49pm
  Yup–correct you are. Unfortunately, there will be some police depts. that will not stand up as Pickel did…
  
  Remember—NEVER surrender your muskets!
  
  Report this comment
RJJinGadsden
Posted on February 15, 2013 at 12:38pm
Still, a warning that the State of Maine’s legislature needs to get busy on some privacy laws.

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- ONLY4UANDME
  Posted on February 15, 2013 at 12:46pm
  A warning to the people of Maine to stop buying The Bangor Daily News.
  
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- Fubared
  Posted on February 15, 2013 at 1:06pm
  RJ some states have started legislation after the well meaning NY crap. Shouldn’t have to waste time and efforts on legislation for common sense issues. That is part and parcel of what we are up against. Push, prod, nudge, keep up the pressure without an inkling into what it is they are ultimately proposing.
  
  Report this comment
- workn4it
  Posted on February 15, 2013 at 6:56pm
  Emergency legislation to keep the info private as early as Tuesday!
  
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afvetfirewoman
Posted on February 15, 2013 at 12:37pm
Way to speak up, Freedom Loving People!

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