Governor Compromises the Privacy of Thousands of Maryland Gun Owners

[MJD438]

I heard earlier that Bongino is covering for Tom Marr today on WCBM.

He seems to be focusing exclusively on the Obama/Syria thing.

 

[krb]

I don't know how it works in state gov but to store PII in the fed, a system is built, tested, protected, and disposed of according to very strict rules. These systems are very expensive to certify and maintain and thus, relatively few in numbers. Users not authorized to access PII are specifically disallowed by electronic access controls.

Just spit-balling here but given the nature of a "surge " (chaos squared) I doubt that many of the IT assets used measure up to a PII standard. So while there may not be a wholesale, public compromise of PII tomorrow, long after this amateurish fiasco fades from view, bits of PII will linger on Joe Blow's PC, ill-protected, and free for the taking by the next guy/gal who occupies the desk. I think the effects of this will be felt by a very unfortunate few over the next few years until the IT assets are retired. You can change your SSN but only AFTER you've become a victim of ID theft.

Frodo O'Moron's effort to stifle legal gun ownership in the Shire proceeds apace...

 

[Mr H]

Just received...

I am as appalled as you are over the Governors' actions which could compromise the privacy and personal information of tens of thousands of Marylanders. The information provided on the 77R Firearm application should be kept confidential and protected by the Maryland State Police (MSP). I received over 100 e mails this weekend stating extreme concern over protecting the confidentially of the information on these applications. Although most of these emails have come from people that are not in my District (District 30A), I feel you deserve my response.

I addition to this mishandling of the 77R applications, I want you to know that I support our constitutional right to keep and bear arms.

I believe in the entire Bill of Rights, including the Second Amendment. All sane, law abiding citizens have a constitutional right to own firearms, and I will vote accordingly.

This web site is very useful in identifying who your elected officials are http://mdelect.net/

Warm Regards,
Herb

Delegate Herb McMillan
District 30

 

[occbrian]

me too.

 

[occbrian]

EVERYONE -------- > http://www.mdshooters.com/showthread.php?t=131069

 

[MJD438]

He seems to be focusing exclusively on the Obama/Syria thing.

One person was attempting to call in about the gun control issue and was disconnected (Dan tried to take the call, but did not hear anyone on the other end of the line).

 

[zoostation]

I don't know how it works in state gov but to store PII in the fed, a system is built, tested, protected, and disposed of according to very strict rules. These systems are very expensive to certify and maintain and thus, relatively few in numbers. Users not authorized to access PII are specifically disallowed by electronic access controls.

Just spit-balling here but given the nature of a "surge " (chaos squared) I doubt that many of the IT assets used measure up to a PII standard. So while there may not be a wholesale, public compromise of PII tomorrow, long after this amateurish fiasco fades from view, bits of PII will linger on Joe Blow's PC, ill-protected, and free for the taking by the next guy/gal who occupies the desk. I think the effects of this will be felt by a very unfortunate few over the next few years until the IT assets are retired. You can change your SSN but only AFTER you've become a victim of ID theft.

On a similar note the Maryland State Police are CALEA accredited. (Commission on Accreditation of Law Enforcement Agencies). While this is not required by law, most of the major agencies in the state, and country, are. I know from managing a records department for a large, accredited, county agency, and being inspected by CALEA, that there are very strict standards for the storage and control of sensitive information. These standards usually include both minimum physical standards (for example a locked room in a secure police facility that is subject to inspection) and procedural accountability for tracking and recording who has access to what types of files, and who is looking at what. I cannot imagine that this procedure they are using would not be in violation.

 

[Mr H]

Lengthy, but this just came through from Kevin Kelley (letter to Doogie Gansler)...

The Honorable Douglas Gansler – Maryland Attorney General

Dear General Gansler,

As you’re aware pursuant to the directive of the Governor to the Secretaries of DHMH, MDOT, DPSCS, DHR and DJS employees of these five State Departments are assisting the MSP Licensing Division in the of processing sensitive, personal, private information of Law Abiding citizens of the State of Maryland who have applied to purchase regulated firearms. As you are further aware pursuant to the passage of SB 281 during the 2013 Legislative Session the MSP Licensing Division has been literally overwhelmed with regulated firearms purchase applications.

Initially, I wish to emphasize I totally agree with the expressed sentiments of the Maryland Sheriffs’ Association and with the expressed sentiments of The Maryland State Lodge, FOP that SB 281 should have been titled “The Great Fraud of 2013.” The proponents of SB 281 are fully cognizant that SB 281 will do ABSOLUTELY NOTHING to reduce violent crime in Maryland. Simultaneously the advocates view with disregard and/or contempt the Second Amendment and the rights Law Abiding Marylanders who wish to own firearms. In essence, SB 281 served as a giant soapbox for Anti-Second Amendment zealots to spew their Gun-Hating venom and to pursue their Gun-Prohibition agendas.

As you are further aware, and pursuant to review of the two, below, “sample” news articles, these Non-MSP employees of DHMH, MDOT, DPSCS, DHR and DJS, are processing the attached “Maryland State Police Application and Affidavit to Purchase a Regulated Firearm” (MSP 77R-1-2-3 forms) which are replete with extremely personal and private information regarding the regulated firearm applicant/purchaser. As one of these applicants I find it offensive, reprehensible and hopefully illegal that Non-MSP personnel have access to the private information of Law Abiding firearms purchasers set forth on the MSP 77R forms. Over the weekend I have been inundated with emails from Law Abiding Maryland Gun Owners and by those who support the Second Amendment, all of who share my outrage that private/personal information contained in these MSP 77R forms is subject to examination by Maryland State employees individuals who are not trained nor assigned to the MSP Licensing Division.

In conclusion, I am respectfully requesting you forward to me, in the most expeditious manner possible, an Attorney General’s Opinion confirming the legality, and the cited authority for same, of the above activity, specifically, State employees of DHMH, MDOT, DPSCS, DHR and DJS having access to and participating in the processing of MSP 77R forms and/or any other documents pertaining to regulated firearms purchase applications.

Thanking you for your time and prompt attention to this request, I remain

Very truly yours,

Kevin Kelly, Delegate – Allegany County





State employees helping to process record number of firearm purchase applications

By Associated Press,

PIKESVILLE, Md. — The Maryland State Police says state employees from other agencies are helping to process a record number of firearm purchase applications.

State Police officials have been overwhelmed with applications ahead of the start of a gun control measure that gives Maryland some of the nation’s tightest gun laws. Officials say that as of Friday the Maryland State Police Licensing Division has received 88,884 firearms purchase applications and 48,934 of those applications have been processed. That’s compared with 70,099 applications in all of 2012.

Officials say data entry personnel from the Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, Department of Transportation, Department of Public Safety and Correctional Services, Department of Human Resources, and the Department of Juvenile Services are now helping. Each agency has between 25 and 40 people inputting application information.

Copyright 2013 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.



State Police Tap Other Agencies To Process Gun Applications

Saturday, September 07, 2013
Robert Lang and Associated Press

The Maryland State Police says state employees from other agencies are helping to process a record number of firearm purchase applications.

State Police officials have been overwhelmed with applications ahead of the start of a gun control measure that gives Maryland some of the nation's tightest gun laws.

That law takes effect on October 1.

Officials say that as of Friday the Maryland State Police Licensing Division has received 88,884 firearms purchase applications and 48,934 of those applications have been processed. That's compared with 70,099 applications in all of 2012.

Officials say data entry personnel from the Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, Department of Transportation, Department of Public Safety and Correctional Services, Department of Human Resources, and the Department of Juvenile Services are now helping. Each agency has between 25 and 40 people inputting application information.

By law, there is a seven day waiting period for firearm purchases while the Maryland State Police reviews applications.

Officials of the Associated Gun Clubs of Baltimore, which has criticized the Maryland State Police for not addressing the backlog of applications, are questioning the use of employees from other agencies. record number of firearm purchase applications.

In an email to WBAL Radio News, Tony Damico who was representing the group, questioned whether the privacy of applicants is being compromised.

"There appears to be no effort to investigate the possible criminal backgrounds of these employees," Damico wrote.

"These forms contain the applicant's name, address, date and place of birth, social security number as well as information on the firearm the applicant intends to purchase. The Maryland State Police have lost control of the Licensing Division.

"At this time, we will not publicly speculate on the Governor's political motivation for this action."

 

[S1owJam]

Just got that too.

 

[Medshot]

I'm placing this post in both this thread and the DC App thread:

I called through to Officer Thompson, and spoke with her, because I was greatly concerned about the placement of the DC App forms as well, since I and a number of people have had our initial applications either go "missing" or were "not received" at all. While not as detailed as the 77R forms, the application still has a SS#, as well as there simply being the PRINCIPLE.

She specifically stated that she, and ONLY she, was processing any and all DC apps, and when asked about the information regarding the 77Rs, she said that it was all known to her and the rest of her department, and that it was only done to "expedite billing, which does not require confidential information."

...not quite sure why that matters, as it is still not particularly legal.

Either way, I thanked her very much for her hard work, as she deserves it, regardless of what is going on over there.

 

[iH8DemLibz]

Spent the morning listening to C4, Bongino, and Hunter.

ZERO air time spent on this topic.

That's special.

 

[pbharvey]

Anyone up to asking the ACLU for help?
http://www.aclu-md.org/help

Yeah I know...

 

[Pstango]

Yeah, pretty disappointed that Bongino didn't touch it.

 

[iH8DemLibz]

Or the NAACP.

We have some color.

 

[jpo183]

Yeah, pretty disappointed that Bongino didn't touch it.

Not to found of him

 

[Mr H]

Or the NAACP.

We have some color.

I'm guessing their memories aren't real clear on the 1870s

 

[vector03]

Just sent another round of email.

 

[iH8DemLibz]

Or PETA

People Enraged over Tyranical Administrations.

 

[Mr H]

Another thought....

And a Ho Lee Fook one, at that..........

F2F transfers at a barracks involve the PII of both buyer AND seller.

 

[pilotguy299]

Anyone hear from Frederick County Reps?

I sent an email to Senator Young and Delegate Hough on Saturday about this issue, and have not heard back from either of them.

I am not necessarily surprised by a lack of response from Senator Young. I have sent him three emails since February, and have not even received the courtesy of a reply or acknowledgement in any form.