Lincoln Police Chief Tom Casady keeps a small file of gun permits he wishes he’d never had to sign.

His name is stamped on thousands of $5 gun permits issued in the 1990s, some of which ended in bloodshed the very day he signed them. Some ended in suicide. Others in violent crimes. One ended in a double murder-suicide.

He says police officers’ opposition to conceal-carry legislation is borne out of experiences like his.

“It’s foolhardy to believe that bad things won’t happen when people are carrying guns,” he said during a Thursday press conference to announce the Lincoln Police Union’s support of Mayor Coleen Seng’s proposal to ban concealed weapons in Lincoln.

Seng’s proposal would exempt Lincoln when the state begins allowing law-abiding people to get $100 permits to carry concealed weapons next year, after firearms training and a background check.

Tim Tyrrell — a disabled veteran who recently brought a pistol to the City Council chambers to make the point that people still would be able to carry unconcealed guns even if Seng’s proposal passes — said criminals won’t be deterred by a concealed weapons ban.

“If somebody is bent on ending their existence, lack of a firearm is not going to stop them,” he said. “The people that the chief is worried about are already carrying firearms, and they’re not gonna stop. And those aren’t the kind who are gonna go down and apply for a (concealed weapons) permit.”

However, it appears Seng will have to round up another vote on the City Council to get the ordinance passed. Three council members support her ban; three are undecided; and one wants to delay action for a year. She may be able to convert two of the undecided council members, since they’re fellow Democrats.

Surprisingly, her proposed ban is supported by Councilman Ken Svoboda, a Republican who plans to run for mayor next year. Svoboda doesn’t like the state concealed weapons law, which goes into effect in January.

To break a potential stalemate, he is checking into the legality of Lincoln adding more offenses to the list that would keep people from getting concealed weapon permits, such as stalking, violating a protection order, impersonating a peace officer and indecent exposure.

“I’d like to be able to say we found a compromise,” Svoboda said.

The fact that people convicted of such serious misdemeanors could get the permits is Police Chief Casady’s main beef with the state legislation. He said Thursday he wouldn’t oppose the state law if it didn’t have “gaping loopholes” for people convicted of such crimes.

The other council member eyeing the mayor’s race, Republican Jon Camp, would prefer to put off any action on the issue for a year. He wants to allow the state conceal-carry law to go into effect and see what happens. He called Seng’s proposal a knee-jerk reaction bordering on feel-good legislation.

“I think the mayor … is playing on people’s emotions more than anything,” he said. He said she should instead focus on more important issues, like trying to avoid using the new increased property valuations to balance her budget.

The third Republican on the council, Robin Eschliman, is undecided. She said she’s hearing from people on both sides of the issue, with opinions split about 50-50.

Seng will get unwavering support from Councilman Dan Marvin, a Democrat. He said the state has banned concealed weapons since 1873 and that seems to have worked out well. But Democrats Annette McRoy and Patte Newman haven’t staked out positions yet.

McRoy said she’s conflicted on the issue, but respects the opinions of Lincoln’s police officers. Newman said she wouldn’t mind putting the issue before voters, but doesn’t know if that’s an option. The other Democrat on the council, Jonathan Cook, wasn’t available for comment but is expected to support the ban.

The council will hold a public hearing on Seng’s ban during its July 31 meeting. The council normally votes the following week.

Reach Deena Winter at 473-2642 or dwinter@journalstar.com.

If you go Lincoln City Council public hearing on mayor’s proposal to ban concealed weapons in Lincoln.

What:

When: July 31 meeting, which starts at 5:30 p.m.

Where: County-City Building, 555 S. 10th St.