Posted on 08/11/2003 8:04:25 AM PDT by bedolido
Applications for concealed-weapons permits are piling up on sheriffs' desks throughout the metro area, overwhelming county workers and frustrating gun owners.
Residents in seven metro Denver counties have filed at least 2,223 applications, most under a new statewide law that took effect May 19, the latest figures show.
But sheriffs had taken action on only 450 applications - a little more than 20 percent.
Jefferson County led the way with 738 applications; Broomfield County had the fewest with 35. Some of Jefferson County's applications were filed under an old law, however, though the exact number is not available.
Denver County is making the most progress, taking action on 36 percent of the 330 applications it has received.
Arapahoe County had 520 applications as of last week, but it has approved only one application and denied one.
"We don't sit on them," said Deputy Alan Geary, who works on the permits for the Arapahoe County Sheriff's office.
"We go through them as soon as they come in. It's just a lot of files that we're working," he said.
The tendency is toward approval of permits.
Of the 2,223 applications, 19.7 percent have been OK'd; less than one-half percent have been denied and the rest are pending.
So far, most of the applicants are men, the sheriffs report.
In Boulder County, a few applicants are in their 20s, but in Adams County most were born between 1929 and 1935.
"When they were growing up they felt safe, but with the younger generation getting more violent, they feel a need to protect themselves to feel secure," said Capt. Craig Coleman of the Adams County applicants.
Before May 19, each police chief and sheriff in Colorado set his or her own rules for carrying concealed weapons. As a result, the number of permits varied widely from one community to another. Numerous local ordinances also restricted where and how firearms could be carried.
The new concealed-carry gun law requires sheriffs statewide to issue permits to law-abiding citizens 21 years old and over with no felony background record and who take and pass a course on handgun safety.
State lawmakers also passed a law wiping out virtually all local ordinances that are more restrictive than state or federal gun laws.
When the concealed-carry law went into effect, many sheriffs were swamped with applicants.
"The first week we were inundated with applications at all times of the day," said Coleman.
"They were constantly going to the front desk, and we were not getting any work done, so we had to regulate that."
After May 31, applications could be dropped off in Adams County only on Mondays and Fridays between 1 and 4 p.m.
Others had to deal with the influx as best they could.
"We had lines going all the way out the door," said Jefferson County spokeswoman Jacki Tallman.
Counties have 90 days to tell applicants whether or not they'll get a permit. The first deadline, for requests filed on May 19, comes this month.
Nicholas Cox, 33, of Denver, applied for a permit on May 20. Cox said he wants to carry his handgun to protect his wife and 2-year-old son.
"I'm a little disappointed how long they're taking to issue the permits," Cox said.
Single permit can take weeks
Getting through the red tape can take weeks. One reason is the time-consuming checking of an applicant's background.
Applications are sent to the Colorado Bureau of Investigation, which conducts a statewide fingerprint check and a criminal records check, among others. The agency also sends fingerprints to the FBI. That agency runs them through a national database.
Recently, the average turnaround time for the FBI was two weeks. The entire transaction is done by U.S. mail.
"We have an electronic system (to send fingerprints), but it's not very reliable," said Susan Kitchen, a CBI agent. "We use it exclusively for law enforcement purposes. This (the concealed weapons permit check) is a civil purpose, and the equipment that we have cannot accommodate both."
A new electronic system should be ready by the end of the year, however.
Denver had to buy new a computer setup to issue concealed-weapons permits. Although it has approved 120 permits, the first round aren't expected to be issued until mid-August.
Gun advocates are willing to give the counties some time to gear up to the new demands.
"Denver is certainly not used to issuing permits because they never have issued permits," said Tony Fabian, president of the Colorado State Shooting Association.
He said it will take time for counties to set up systems to handle applications.
"As long as they don't take longer than 90 days, they're operating within the bounds of the law," he said.
New law renews debate
The concealed-carry law has renewed the debate over guns.
George Epp, executive director of the County Sheriffs of Colorado, said the changes are fine with most of his group.
"The majority (of sheriffs in Colorado) think that if citizens are appropriately trained and screened, then they should have it (the permit)," he said. "It adds to public safety."
But opponents disagree. Tom Mauser, the father of Columbine shooting victim Daniel Mauser and an outspoken gun opponent, said there are times he wonders whether the person next to him has a gun. And it's not a good feeling.
"I'm concerned when I'm at work," Mauser said.
Cynthia Stone, a board member of Colorado Ceasefire, has her concerns as well.
"When I walk down the street, that does make me think twice."
Stone said she believes that more guns could lead to more violence.
"Look at the incidents of road rage," she said. "If a person had a gun in his car and got mad, the situation could go way too far."
Staff writers Kim Nguyen, Libby Kaiser and Jerry Roys contributed to the report.
I have been through the whole FBI fingerprinmt thing and it isn't too bad, the woman that fingerprinted me said that she would prefer the scanner type fingerprinter which can scan your whole hand...
Then don't get into rush-hour pissing contests with the other drivers, Cynthia.
(Armed society, polite society, etc..)
Well, Tom, far be it for me to criticize you or anything, but trying to infringe on the rights of others because of your tragic loss makes you a pathetic sorry excuse for a human being...
Yes. It started this year.
Personally, I feel safer when I see an armed civilian. Nothing wards off crooks more than a visible pistol in a holster.
Gee Tom, why wonder? Just ask 'em.
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