THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT  
              Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: Wednesday, February 1, 1995            TAG: 9502010467
SECTION: LOCAL                    PAGE: B2   EDITION: FINAL  
SOURCE: BY ALEX MARSHALL, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: NORFOLK                            LENGTH: Medium:   65 lines

CORRECTION/CLARIFICATION: ***************************************************************** A headline in Wednesday's Metro News section erroneously stated, ``Portsmouth chief seeks to placate angry gun dealers.'' As stated in the story, it is the Norfolk police chief, Melvin High, who has proposed a compromise over a new council-approved background check on handgun buyers. Correction published Thursday, February 2, 1995 on page A2. ***************************************************************** PORTSMOUTH CHIEF SEEKS TO PLACATE ANGRY GUN DEALERS

The police chief has proposed a compromise to address the concerns of gun dealers who are angry over the City Council's approval of a new criminal background check on handgun buyers and an accompanying $24 fee.

The council approved the background check and fee last month. The fee pays for the FBI to match a gun buyer's thumbprint against computer records of criminals' prints on file around the country.

But the council began considering scrapping the measure after members learned they had been misinformed that both Chesapeake and Virginia Beach require the FBI check and charge the fee. Only Chesapeake does, city officials say.

Gun dealers in Norfolk protested that the fee would drive their business to other cities.

On Tuesday, Police Chief Melvin High said his department would ask the federal government to waive or lower the fee. In addition, he said, he would allow the city to issue a handgun permit before the FBI record check has cleared.

Even so, council members Herbert Collins, Randy Wright, Paul Riddick and Conoly Phillips sharply questioned High over the need for the FBI check.

``I have to wonder if we are making it too difficult for legitimate citizens to buy guns,'' Phillips said.

``We're going to drive these people to Virginia Beach and Hampton,'' Wright said.

High said after the meeting that 40 of the 1,400 people who sought a gun permit from the city last year were denied one after their names were matched against state court records. A more in-depth check using fingerprints should screen out additional applicants who, because of criminal records or other problems, should be refused a permit, High said.

``We have the view that to fully and completely examine an applicant's criminal record we need a fingerprint background check,'' High told the council.

The state and city already perform a criminal background check. But it only matches a buyer's name against other records and can be evaded by someone using an alias.

Mayor Paul Fraim said a majority of the council still might agree to High's compromise rather than abandoning the FBI check, even though few members defended the police chief's views Tuesday.

The city has decided not to enforce the new law until the council settles the issue. The council may vote next week on whether to repeal or change the law. by CNB