Riverside County Gun Owners Warns Murrieta Residents to Avoid Getting CCWs From Murrieta Police Department!
Riverside County Gun Owners (RCGO), a political action committee (PAC) promoting Second Amendment rights, is warning all Murrieta residents to avoid applying for a Carry Concealed Weapon permit (CCW) through the Murrieta Police Department. Instead, applicants should utilize the CCW process through the Riverside County Sheriff’s Licensing Department.
“Murrieta was the first to start issuing CCWs under the previous sheriff. At the time, it took years to get a CCW, and we are grateful for their initiative,” said Michael Schwartz, on behalf of RCGO. “But a lot has changed, and Murrieta Police Chief Tony Conrad is frankly ripping off Murrieta residents by unnecessarily charging an additional $150 for every application.”
Unlike Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco, or any county in California, Chief Conrad requires that 100% of CCW applicants complete the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory-2 (MMPI-2) test before they are issued a CCW. The MMPI-2 does not test an applicant’s sanity, nor does the test make a determination on a person’s mental health condition. The MMPI-2 is most often used to pre-test law enforcement, fire, and public safety employees to see if the applicant’s personality is optimal for training and on-the-job performance in those specific fields. Under California CCW laws, there is no requirement by the state that a personality test be administered nor is there a requirement that citizens have the same personality as a police officer.
“RCGO met with Chief Conrad to make a simple and reasonable request — bring your process into parity with Riverside County and the rest of California. Stop the 100% requirement and only use these personality tests on applicants as needed,” said Schwartz. “Chief Conrad refused to even consider our request and said he did not want to allow ‘certain personalities’ to have a CCW. Yet, he was unable to define which personalities he dislikes. He went on to admit that even though he has never denied a permit based on the test results, he would not consider removing what is essentially a $150 personality tax.”
According to the Murrieta Police Department website, the MMPI-2 test is administered by two outside vendors and costs $150 per applicant. Chief Conrad went on record saying that he did not agree that the test is a personality test, but the name of the test and Chief Conrad’s subsequent statements contradict his claim.
“Chief Conrad is requiring applicants to go through this personality test to see if he likes you enough to issue a CCW for self-protection, and he charges you $150 for the privilege,” Schwartz said. “Murietta’s city council clearly was working for the people of their city when they implemented their CCW program, but Chief Conrad does not appear to have their best interests in mind. It is fair to wonder whose best interest he does have in mind. I was surprised by Chief Conrad’s hardline stance, and now RCGO is not only concerned about a personality test being an unusual roadblock to your ability to defend yourself, but now I am wondering why that $150 fee is so important to him and his department. Regardless of the results of an investigation into those fees, nobody hired a police chief to judge an applicant’s personality. It is outrageous that he refuses to remove a test that is not required, that is not relevant to your ability to defend your life, and that he admitted isn’t used to deny applicants. Yet, it is required for 100% of CCW applicants. It needs to end.”
If you would like to voice your disapproval and call for an end to Chief Conrad’s personality test requirement for all applicants, please call him directly at (951) 461-6309 and send him an email at tconrad@murrietaca.gov. Despite how frustrated we all are, please be respectful and polite.
Founded in 2019, Riverside County Gun Owners is a registered political action committee (FPPC #1419037) and advocacy organization focused on organizing the gun industry and community and protecting the U.S. Constitution’s Second Amendment right to bear arms.
RCGO provides Second Amendment advocacy organization providing news and information on new gun laws, along with expanding and restoring Second Amendment rights in Riverside County. For more information visit: www.RiversideCountyGunOwners.com
