For nearly a decade, Texas civil rights attorney and Second Amendment auditor Christopher “CJ” Grisham legally carried a concealed firearm under a federally issued credential—but was still repeatedly stopped, questioned, and denied recognition by local law enforcement.
Despite holding a valid Qualified DoD Law Enforcement Officer identification card, issued in 2022 through a federally authorized program, agencies in Tarrant, Travis, and Bexar Counties refused to accept the credential. Some even contacted the state licensing agency to dispute it.
Now, the Texas Commission on Law Enforcement (TCOLE) has reversed its prior position, officially recognizing Grisham’s eligibility and granting him a firearms proficiency certificate on February 18, 2025.
The move comes nearly 10 years after TCOLE first investigated and denied Grisham’s status.
Tarrant County Sheriff’s Office
On December 18, 2024, Chief Deputy Craig Driskell of the Tarrant County Sheriff’s Office contacted TCOLE after encountering Grisham at the Tarrant County Courthouse, where he arrived with several activists to speak at a Commissioners Court meeting while lawfully carrying a firearm.
Grisham presented his Qualified DoD Law Enforcement Officer ID, asserting his right to carry under 18 U.S.C. § 926C. But Driskell questioned its validity and reached out to TCOLE Captain Doug Skolaut, who told him that TCOLE had denied Grisham’s application in 2016 after concluding he did not meet the statutory definition of a law enforcement officer.
Skolaut provided Driskell with copies of the original TCOLE investigation file, including documents and application materials from Grisham’s 2015 certificate. Driskell later forwarded a photo of Grisham’s LEOSA ID to Skolaut for review.
Travis County Sheriff’s Office
On January 31, 2025, Grisham was again stopped by deputies, this time at the Travis County Courthouse. As in Tarrant County, he presented his DoD-issued LEOSA credential.
The encounter was referred to TCOLE Sergeant Investigator Joe Nichols, who was able to obtain a clear photo of the ID. Nichols then contacted Defense Consulting Services, LLC, the authorized federal contractor responsible for issuing the LEOSA identification cards.
A representative named Jonathan immediately recognized Grisham’s name, stating that several agencies had contacted them previously. He confirmed that the card was valid and had been properly issued. Jonathan also noted that although Army Counterintelligence agents may not have been considered law enforcement in 2015, they were officially considered Qualified DoD Law Enforcement Officers by 2022, when Grisham’s ID was issued.
Bexar County Sheriff’s Office
In November 2024, Grisham attempted to enter the Bexar County Courthouse in San Antonio while armed and presented his LEOSA ID. Deputies from the Bexar County Sheriff’s Office refused to recognize the credential and denied him entry.
Despite LEOSA and Texas Penal Code § 46.15(a)(5)—which explicitly exempts qualified retired officers from gun restrictions—Grisham was turned away, even as other law enforcement officers were permitted inside while armed.
The incident, captured on video, led Grisham to send a formal demand letter to Sheriff Javier Salazar, urging the department to comply with state and federal law.
A Long History of Denials
Grisham was originally issued a firearms proficiency certificate by TCOLE in November 2015, but when he attempted to renew it in 2016, the agency launched an investigation.
At the time, TCOLE consulted:
• Lt. Col. Lisa D. Coleman, U.S. Army CID, who stated Grisham “was not a criminal investigator or a retired law enforcement officer.”
• ATF Agent Daniel Flores, who said Army CI agents fell under a non-law enforcement job series.
• Monty Dolieslager, former CI agent with the Texas Fusion Center, who said CI agents had very limited arrest authority.
• Randall Long and William Phillips, senior officials with Army INSCOM, who confirmed in 2016 that “the Army G2 hasn’t come to a decision yet” about whether CI agents qualify under LEOSA.
Based on these responses, TCOLE denied Grisham’s renewal and informed local agencies that he was ineligible.
The 2025 Reversal
On February 6, 2025, after confirming with Defense Consulting Services that Grisham’s 2022-issued LEOSA card was valid and that DoD now considered Army CI agents law enforcement qualified under LEOSA, TCOLE reversed its position.
Grisham was officially granted a Retired Federal or Out-of-State Peace Officer Firearms Proficiency Certificate on February 18, 2025.
The sudden reversal came years after TCOLE and multiple county agencies had refused to acknowledge his federal status—even while Grisham presented documentation proving it.
Implications and Concerns
Grisham’s encounters highlight a troubling lack of consistency across Texas law enforcement agencies when it comes to recognizing military and federal retiree credentials.
Despite possessing a federally verified LEOSA ID, Grisham was detained, denied entry, and flagged by deputies from three separate counties, while TCOLE itself had advised against recognizing his status.
Civil rights observers warn that such actions could raise serious constitutional concerns under the Fourth and Fourteenth Amendments, particularly since Grisham’s rights were obstructed based on misinterpretations—despite the existence of valid federal documentation.
Conclusion
With TCOLE’s recognition now on record, Grisham’s right to carry under LEOSA is no longer in question. But the agencies that denied, detained, and dismissed him—Bexar County, Tarrant County, and Travis County Sheriff’s Offices—acted on outdated or incorrect information, even as official LEOSA credentials sat in their hands.
Grisham’s decade-long battle underscores the consequences of agency fragmentation and the need for comprehensive training on federal firearms credentials. For now, his legal status is resolved—but the broader policy failures remain.
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