Angel Shamaya: Yes,
I'm calling about your $1000 reward program for turning in people that have
illegal handguns.
Detective Selner:
Yeah.
AS: I have a
question. How does someone -- if they have a handgun and they want to carry it
for self-defense -- what process do they go through to be able to do that?
DS: You go get a
license, sir.
AS: How long does
that usually take?
DS: It depends on
your record and everything like that. If you own a business, it's easy to get
one. You just gotta go down to City Hall and apply for it.
AS: What if you
don't own a business?
DS: Go apply for it and
you can get a target practice license.
AS: What about to
carry it for when a guy attacks you?
DS: To be honest
with you, I don't know the stipulations right now. You can call City Hall or
go down to it and they can fill you in on that.
AS: What's your
name?
DS: My name is
Detective Sellner. S-E-L-N-E-R.
AS: Detective
Selner, is there any provision where someone can carry without getting
permission to defend their lives?
DS: Hold on one
second. [He set the phone down for nearly two full minutes -- on a
toll-free number paid for by The People -- and talked to someone in the
background.]
AS: If people carry
without having a license but have no criminal intent at all, what happens if a
police officer catches them?
DS: You got to
jail.
AS: Is it a felony?
DS: Sure!
AS: What about the
right of the people to keep and bear arms? Does that not exist in New York?
DS: Not here! Where
are you from? (snickering)
AS: I grew up in
the South where people are allowed to protect themselves.
DS: (laughing) Go
to Florida if you want to carry a gun. You can still carry in Florida. Not
here, sir. (more chuckling)
AS: But in New York
City, unless you get permission from the government, you're going to jail with
a felony?
DS: Yes.
AS: Does that
include jail time?
DS: Uh, it depends
on your record. I don't know, I'm not the uh, the judge, you know, I don't
know exactly what the, uh, story is now, but I'm sure that you probably will.
AS: In your
experience as a Detective, what's the typical fine for someone who is caught
carrying without a license?
DS: Uh, I have no
idea, sir, to be honest with you. What happens is we just usually arrest
them and then things, you know, it depends on your record. Sometimes you could
get probation, you know, they are being a little stiffer now, so I'm sure you
would do a year or two.
