Afraid of an armed populace, especially one where the Sheriffs do not control who gets a gun. If the sheriffs get to approve permits, their friends get the permits, the “undesirables” do not. It’s all about power.
...yep, LEOs of all stripes tend towards less guns in the hands of the populace kind of naturally. Plus, with these official organizations, the leadership and administrators of groups tend to be more liberal and bureaucratic by nature than the actual rank and file.
In Georgia, the Sheriffs office approves permits with the sole requirement being a clear NICS check.