Police see rise in gun permit applications

Written by Laura Stetser Wednesday, January 23, 2013 04:38 pm

Image by James Fitzpatrick/Chart shows gun permits issued in 2010-2012 and from Jan. 1-21, 2013.

EGG HARBOR TOWNSHIP – With the national debate over gun rights still at the top of the news cycle because of the recent school shooting in Connecticut and President Obama’s new emphasis on gun control, The Current took an informal poll of local police departments to see what impact the news has had on Atlantic County residents’ desire to bear arms.

 The data we received demonstrates a steady increase in firearms permits and permit applications throughout local towns over the past three years, with a reported spike since the Sandy Hook Elementary tragedy and the appointment of President Obama’s task force on gun control and school safety.

Each of the departments that responded to our request reported a high number of pending applications as well.

“It’s been crazy over the past 60 days with applications,” Egg Harbor Township Police Chief Michael Morris said.

 Capt. Doug Carman of the Linwood Police Department said that as of Wednesday, Jan. 23, his department had issued 41 handgun permits.

For each permit, a detective completes an intensive background check, Morris said. Applications can take up to 60 days to be approved. Handgun permits must be used within 90 days for the purchase of one gun. Firearm identification cards can be used for unlimited purchases of rifles and do not expire.

Egg Harbor Township – The Egg Harbor Township Police Department reported issuing 260 permits in 2010, 286 permits in 2011 and 552 permits in 2012. Morris said the number of people who tried to obtain a firearm permit was higher than the amount issued, with 663 applications filed in 2012, up from 309 applications in 2010 and 421 applications in 2011. Since the beginning of January 2013, the department has processed 70 permit applications with “about a dozen or so in the pipeline and more every day,” Morris said.

Linwood – The Linwood Police Department issued 47 handgun permits in 2010, 40 handgun permits in 2011 and 107 handgun permits in 2012. And the department has already processed 41 applications in the first 23 days of 2013, topping the application totals for the entire year in 2010 and 2011.

Ventnor – The Ventnor Police Department does not keep a tally of the total applications filed, but did report issuing 57 permits in 2010, 35 permits in 2011 and 73 permits in 2012. Chief Michael Miller said the department has six applications in process currently.