The letter expresses concern with the Obama administration and the president’s gun control laws he laid out before Congress last week.

“It appears to me and many Americans that there is a genuine desire on the part of your administration to restrict the Second Amendment rights of law abiding American citizens in the interest of curbing gun violence in our nation,” Heiss wrote. “Any attempt to restrict these Second Amendment rights through executive order is unconstitutional and tantamount to an all-out assault on the United States Constitution.”

In the letter Heiss tells the president that he has a duty to protect his constituents from incidents of crime, and has the responsibility to protect and preserve their rights and liberties.

Newly elected Sheriff Michael Dixon, R-Osage County is one of about a dozen sheriffs in Missouri to have signed and sent Heiss’ letter.

“On the same day the President is taking his oath to uphold the Constitution, he continues to attack our 2nd Amendment rights,” Dixon said. “As Osage County Sheriff, I also took an Oath to the Constitution; but unlike Obama, I intend to uphold mine.”

Dixon also announced his support of Missouri house bill (HB 170). The bill, introduced last week, would make criminals of any law enforcement official, local, state or federal, who tried to enforce any of President Obama’s gun control initiatives, whether executive orders or passed by Congress.

“President Obama should quit his attempts to take guns out of the hands of law abiding citizens and instead focus on stopping the criminals that will get them no matter what. It is imperative we strengthen the penalty for criminals who use weapons in the commission of a crime or to cause bodily harm.”

Dixon said his office will not enforce any gun control proposals that Obama passes if they violate the Constitution and points to gun control efforts and crime statistics as proof gun bans do not work.

“The President comes from Chicago, the city with the strictest gun laws and worst gun violence in the country. It has been proven time and time again that taking guns from law abiding citizens only emboldens thugs, thieves, and rapists, not stop them from committing crimes,” Dixon said.