Under current law, only people 21 and older can carry a concealed weapon, and only after completing an approved firearms safety course and criminal background check.
Under Senate Bill 50, anyone 18 and older who can legally carry a gun could carry it concealed without a permit or safety training.
[Durham County Sheriff Clarence] Birkhead said that would make working in law enforcement more dangerous.
Permitless carry “makes our jobs more difficult – to put a gun in the hand of someone who’s not trained, who’s 18 years of age – so we have to approach every encounter as if there’s a weapon, because we just don’t know,” Birkhead said. “It increases the risk of someone being harmed in that encounter, whether it’s the officer, the deputy, or the citizen. That to me is unacceptable.”
— Lynn Bonner in Gun control advocates in NC work to preserve the permit law for concealed weapons
The good sheriff doesn’t seem to realize that most people his deputies encounter in Durham County are probably armed anyway, and if his deputies are smart they are already approaching every encounter as if there’s a weapon. At least the ones with a good amount of survival instincts are doing so.
Precisely!
MASSIVE BREAKING NEWS! UNANIMOUS 9-0 SUPREME COURT WIN JUST RELEASED! [basically, case started by New Jersey against a pro life group, ruling against NJ – benefits 2A in context of 1st amendment.]
ht* tps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xXVI6FYI6Lo
Today is May 1st. Its ‘International Kill A Commie Day’….. ok, its not really and I’m not suggesting you start shooting these left wing violent commies that sometimes seem to be all over the place in today’s world. But remember, when they feel like getting their violent freak on they will not hesitate to try to seriously injure or kill you.
We had a small group of 4 here here that wanted to celebrate their ‘May Day’ today by burning down and blowing up an elementary school. Yep, according to the neighbor involved (whom I know who told me about it this morning), one of their members actually told the cops that when they got arrested last night trying to plant some type of ‘incendiary explosive package’ that would have gone off during school hours today. Of course this failed because the morons didn’t realize they could not get into the school last night and didn’t bring the tools needed to get through the exterior locked doors, they thought the school doors were left unlocked at night so cleaning crews could come in. It was a neighbor next door to the school who spotted them trying to get into the school by smashing a window with a rock, she called 911.
Left wing violence: Sanctuary Oregon Releases Newlyweds’ Killer and ICE Seeks Custody of Machete Attacker
”
…
Two April 28 DHS press releases describe how federal immigration officers arrested an illegal alien killer set free in Oregon and how Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) is seeking custody of a machete-wielding criminal. Yes, Democrats around the country are even releasing murderers in pursuit of their all-consuming goal of protecting illegal aliens while undermining the Trump administration’s immigration enforcement.
…”
ht* tps://pjmedia.com/catherinesalgado/2026/04/29/sanctuary-oregon-releases-newlyweds-killer-and-ice-seeks-custody-of-machete-attacker-n4952319
Left wing violence: [liberal] Judge Halves Rapist’s Sentence Noting He’s an African American Male Who’s ‘Experienced This Society’
“Caution: This video is infuriating. We wouldn’t have believed the caption if we hadn’t watched the video ourselves. We looked it up, and it’s an old story, from February, but it’s still worth telling. A 24-year-old who was convicted of sodomy, robbery, and kidnapping in a Louisville, Kentucky court faced a 65-year prison sentence, but Judge Tracey Davis ultimately sentenced Christopher Thompson to 30 years. The judge heard that Thompson came in ‘hurt and angry’ and apparently took pity on him because he was an African American male who had ‘you know, experienced this society, etc.’
[video]
‘DR POOL
@DRPOOLQ17
🚨 HOLY SMOKES. Leftist Judge Tracy Davis just slashed a 65-year recommended prison sentence IN HALF for a r*pist — she felt bad he was a black ‘victim’
This is madness.
These judges are a threat to EVERYBODY. They must be removed’
…
varrock
@varrock
In America, if a Black guy carjacks a woman, rapes her in a school parking lot, forces her to go to an ATM to withdraw cash, then rapes her again, the judge will cut his sentence in half and argue that he is the real victim.
Welcome to liberalism I guess.
…”
ht* tps://twitchy.com/brettt/2026/04/30/judge-halves-rapists-sentence-noting-hes-an-african-american-male-whos-experienced-this-society-n2427719
In my training, we were taught to approach every stop as though the person being contacted had a weapon. However in my opinion, the law should require that the person be 21 versus 18 years of age.
“so we have to approach every encounter as if there’s a weapon, because we just don’t know,” Birkhead said.”
Only a complete idiot (and Darwin Award recipient) would approach an encounter as if the person was unarmed. Birkhead is self-owned.
If he is concerned about <21's not being trained, why is he not advocating for firearms training of everyone? Instead he is pushing to deny 18-20 year old young women of the ability to defend themselves against rape and assault. So Birkhead is doing his damnedest to make sure the North Carolina victims are utterly defenseless. What an idiot! What a jerk!
I guess that you’re not very good at your job.
I’m very comfortable saying the majority of violent crimes being committed in this sheriff’s district, are black males. From single mother homes. With no father in the home.
A situation that was promoted by the white @th.eists. Who all disagreed with the christians, when they said a father is necessary in the home.
Unfortunately this black sheriff will not say that in public.
Permitless carry “makes our jobs more difficult …”
So does that pesky Fourth Amendment which requires you Sheriff to get a search warrant before barreling into someone’s home to search for evidence. That is by design by the way. Newsflash: governments have no legitimate authority to restrict rights simply because exercising that right makes a government employee’s job more difficult.
“… so we have to approach every encounter as if there’s a weapon, because we just don’t know.”
You and your deputies should already be doing that anyway because every encounter could be with a violent criminal who is armed with edge weapons, bludgeons, firearms, etc.
But who needs facts when you can have hysteria?
My local sheriff was one opposing the permitless concealed carry here in Nebraska. I’ve yet to hear of a case where any one carrying concealed with or without a permit has committed a crime.
You knew the job was dangerous before you signed up! You ALSO swore an oath to the Constitution of the United States! Did you sleep through history class? That oath you took to collect a paycheck runs deeper than you expected. Words have meanings and consequences.
Why do gun control advocates fail to consider what the US Supreme Court has said about this constitutional right and the dominant part history places in the scope of this fundamental right?
Yeah, that comment/thinking is BS – LEO ALWAYS “…have to approach every encounter as if there’s a weapon, because we just don’t know” – He’s worried about controlling the LAW-ABIDING-CITIZENS – NOT the criminals – who are ALREADY carrying under 21, and Unlicensed…
The GOOD GUY ain’t the problem Sheriff…. start honoring your OATH and stop disrespecting Law-Abiding-Citizens!