This chapter shall be enacted pursuant to the Municipal Home Rule powers of Title 30-A M.R.S.A. § 3001. The provisions of this chapter shall be liberally interpreted in order to meet the objectives set forth in this chapter.
The purposes and objectives of this chapter are to protect both residents and nonresidents of the Town of Camden from accidental injury as a result of the discharge of firearms in certain areas of the Town of Camden in which the discharge of firearms is considered to be unsafe in consequence of the congestion of residences in those areas, terrain features, or proximity to recreational or residential uses.
No person, except a police officer, sheriff, constable, game warden, other law enforcement official, or military personnel in the performance of their official duties, shall, without a permit from the Police Chief of the Town of Camden, discharge any firearm. Notwithstanding the prohibition on the discharge of firearms set forth in this section, the following activities shall not be considered a prohibited discharge of firearms which violates the provisions of this chapter:
A. 
The discharge of firearms for official military exercises, and the discharge of firearms for ceremonies in connection with funerals, military reviews, and memorial events, specifically including the discharge of firearms by official participants in parades commemorating Memorial Day and in the observance of other holidays; and
B. 
The discharge of firearms in the proper defense of a person, that person's family, that person's property, and other people, but only to the extent that such actions are lawful and permitted by the laws of the State of Maine; and
C. 
The discharge of firearms to destroy or to kill any dangerous animal, and to kill wild animals attacking other domestic animals or destroying property, as permitted under the terms of Title 12 M.R.S.A. § 12401; and
D. 
The discharge of firearms for the purpose of hunting in compliance with all provisions of Title 12 in areas not set forth below in Article II and/or Article III.
(1) 
The discharge of firearms for the purpose of hunting in compliance with all provisions of Title 12 in areas not set forth below in Article II and/or Article III.
A. 
Applications for a permit from the Police Chief of the Town of Camden to discharge a firearm shall be requested on a form provided for that purpose by the Police Chief. The application shall contain the full name and address of the applicant, together with addresses for the prior five years, and an identification of the date and place of birth, height, weight, and eye color of the applicant. In addition, the application may contain a requirement for submission of any of the other information set forth in applications submitted pursuant to Title 25 M.R.S.A. § 2003, Subdivision 1D. The application shall contain a specific statement of the date, time, and purpose of the discharge of firearms for which the application is submitted, together with a statement of appropriate safety measures to be taken to reduce danger to people and property.
B. 
Upon receipt of a proper written application, the Police Chief shall, within 10 days, issue the permit for a discharge of a firearm on the specific date(s), time(s), and location, and for the specific purpose set forth in the written application, unless the Police Chief determines, on the basis of the information submitted on the written application, that the requested discharge of a firearm would be dangerous or otherwise unsafe to people, property, or domestic animals. Upon a determination that the requested discharge of a firearm does not meet the foregoing criteria for the issuance of a permit, the Police Chief shall notify the applicant, in writing, of the denial of the permit and the reasons therefor.
C. 
A permit issued by the Police Chief pursuant to this section of this chapter shall be valid only for the date(s), time(s), location, and purpose set forth in the written application.