The Contra Costa County Sheriff’s Office has reportedly been overrun with applications for concealed carry permits. KRON 4 News reports that the county board of supervisors had to designate extra sergeant and specialist positions to handle the backlog of requests.
A press release from the office states, “Since the Supreme Court ruling in New York State Rifle and Pistol Association v. Bruen on June 23, 2022, the Contra Costa Sheriff’s Office has been inundated by requests for CCW permits.” It continued, “restrictions requiring applicants to demonstrate ‘good cause’ in some states, like California, were unconstitutional.” The ruling in question also struck down New York State’s requirement for concealed carry applicants to demonstrate a compelling need to carry a concealed weapon in public.
Before the Bruen decision, the Contra Costa County Sheriff’s Office received about 20 applications each month, which a single employee at that pace could process. Since the decision, there has been a significant increase in applications, and the office now receives several hundred every month. As a result, there are currently more than 1,000 applications pending.
Applicants must finish a training course and pay a $160 fee. The Contra Costa County Sheriff’s Office also handles renewals for 500 current holders in addition to new applications.
