Local voices speak on Ohio gun law changes

DAYTON, Ohio ( WDTN ) — A former Dayton police chief and current Dayton school board member are advocating for changes to Ohio’s gun laws.

This comes week’s after the Ohio Statehouse held a gun violence prevention summit, calling for the creation of a task force.

2 NEWS spoke to officials about the changes they want to make to Ohio’s current gun policy. They say stopping gun violence is a critical step for the state.

Local leaders are hoping that this task force and several other measures discussed at the summit will help curb gun violence. Meanwhile, some gun rights advocates feel the proposals are misplaced.

Those in favor of gun control say they are tired of inaction by lawmakers to prevent gun violence. They say there is legislation that could prevent the tragedy and heartache many communities have faced.

“Some things can’t be done, so it is not so,” said Richard Biehl, former Dayton police chief. “So this is a failure of leadership.”

Former Dayton Police Chief Richard Biehl and current Dayton Public School Board Member Jocelyn Rhynard both want to see change.

Both say the policies proposed last month can help curb gun violence. That includes declaring gun violence a public health crisis, creating a task force and requiring universal background checks.

Biehl says he likes the idea of the task force because it will take more than one policy to make a difference.

“We need a comprehensive response. Piecemeal is likely going to miss more often than it’s going to work. So it can’t be just one policy or two policies. There needs to be, I think, a robust, comprehensive approach,” said Biehl.

“It’s time to put people around the table. A very diverse representative of our community. People who are experts in various areas of basically responding to gun violence. And have them wrestle with these issues.”

After the Oregon District mass shooting in 2019, Gov. Mike DeWine pushed for comprehensive gun reform, but the legislature did not support his plan.

In 2022, Ohio actually loosened gun restrictions, becoming the 23rd state to enact a permit-less carry law.

Rhynard stresses the importance of repealing permit-less carry, citing community and school safety. She also advocates for safe storage of firearms, which prevents guns from ending up in the wrong hands.

“Right now, safe storage is not defined by being locked storage. We need to make sure that not just our schools and communities are safe, but our homes are safe,” said Rhynard.

She also says it’s important to have legislation that does not put guns in the hands of people that could harm themselves or others.

Gun rights advocates say they don’t believe these proposals address those who do not obey the law.

“None of them talk about making neighborhoods safer by actually enforcing the law,” said Dean Rieck, executive director of Buckeye Firearms Association. “They’re all talking about passing laws that only those of us who already obey the law are going to obey.”

Reick says the proposals are political pandering, and not focused on effective change.

“This is virtue signaling. It’s a performance,” said Rieck. “It has nothing to do with actually fighting crime.”

Rieck also says lawmakers should look at how many crimes are committed by people who legally obtain a firearm to those who don’t.

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