Saturday morning ladies of all ages could be found in the Decatur County Sheriff’s Office courtroom attending the ladies handgun class taught by Captain Ken Davidson and Chief James Spooner.

The class was only offered to women, so it would be a comfortable environment Davidson explained. They didn’t want the women to feel pressured by someone else or be embarrassed to ask a question. The officers wanted the women to come in with open minds and be open to learning whatever was covered in the class.

Davidson and Spooner first taught the class how to carry their weapon. They told the class to always assume guns are loaded and they should check to make sure otherwise.

They emphasized that when carrying, individuals should never put their finger on the trigger until they’ve identified the target. They also reminded all the women to write down their handgun’s serial number in case it is ever stolen or needs to be identified.

The officers discussed who is actually allowed to possess a firearm under federal law, and who is exempt to the licensing requirements.

The women learned handguns do not have to be concealed, according to Georgia law; however carrying concealed is probably best in most circumstances. Long guns are also allowed to be carried in a fully open or exposed manner if they are loaded.

Guns are prohibited in certain locations such as government buildings, the courthouse, a place of worship, nuclear power plants and facilities, a jail or prison and other marked locations. Some of the women questioned if they would be allowed to bring their handgun in the car to where they teach at, but were told it is up to the school and Board of Education.

After a short break, the ladies returned and learned when they can use their gun in self- defense.

Individuals are justified in threating or using force against another when he or she reasonably believes that such threat or force is necessary to prevent death or great bodily injury to himself.

They are also justified in using force in defense of their habitation when entry is made or attempted in a violent and tumultuous manner. However, they must reasonably believe the entry is being made for the purpose of assaulting or offering personal violence to someone in the home.

Officers deterred the women from shooting someone before they are 100 percent sure of the situation though, claiming it will forever change their life if they shoot and kill someone.

They also explained to the women that they cannot use deadly force for the sole purpose of preventing someone from stealing property, including animals and pets.

Once learning all the rules, the ladies got a lesson on different types of handguns, ammunition and the grip before heading off to the shooting range.

The two main types of handguns learned about were the semi-automatic and the revolver.

Ladies learned that semi-automatics go down the range one at a time, while automatics shoot until the magazine clip is empty. However, officers go back and forth on recommending semi-automatics because they often jam and inexperienced shooters cannot fix it when emergency situations present themselves.

At the range, officers allowed the women to shoot a variety of glocks, semi-automatics and revolvers. They could take turns seeing what best fit them, while officers assisted in helping them load and aim at the target.

Once complete, both officers offered their assistance in helping the ladies find a gun that fit their needs. They gave out their cell phone numbers and told them to call any time with any questions they may have about handguns in the future.