Permitless gun-carrying laws raise new dilemmas for U.S. police

Permitless gun-carrying laws in the United States have created a dilemma for police officers working the streets: they now have to decide, sometimes in seconds, if someone with the right to carry a gun is a danger, according to a recent Associated Press report, reported Xinhua.

"Advocates say permitless carry makes people safer. Opponents say it makes it more dangerous for ordinary people, and for police officers," said the report.

"It's no secret why so many law enforcement leaders are speaking out against permitless carry laws," John Feinblatt, president of Everytown for Gun Safety, was quoted as saying. "Allowing anyone to carry a gun anywhere makes the job of a police officer harder and more dangerous."

Gun violence is up nationwide. There have been 35,000 deaths in the United States so far this year, following 45,000 deaths in 2020 and the same in 2021. About 79 percent of the killings in 2020 involved a firearm, the highest percentage since at least 1968, according to the report.

More U.S. states adopt permitless carry. Many of them do not require of citizens who can legally possess a firearm, that they obtain a permit for concealed carry and/or open carry, added the report.