I think the deputy showed good judgment in this situation. He could have arrested him, but he did not. The deputy determined the citizen was not going to harm anyone, and let him go, minus the card that really is not a permit.
“Whether the law is right or not, the deputy is correct about the paper copy thing. And the citizen is wrong about the other copy. In Iowa, conceal carry permits come from the county, not the state. A county sheriff has to sign off on the permit. And you are given a paper copy, that you are required to carry with you while carrying concealed.”
That may have been correct before 2011. From my reading of the statutes, it is not the case any more. Yes, Sheriff’s issue the permits, but they are limited by State law. The card is a State approved form, in the State Statutes.
If the law was as you state, I do not believe the Sheriff’s department would have backed off and returned the permit.