Concealed carry permits in Sacramento County have surged to the point that “about 1 out of every 135 adults” in the county carries a gun legally every day, according to the Sacramento Bee.
Scott Jones became sheriff of Sacramento County in 2010. At that point “approximately 350” residents had a concealed permit. Today, that number is around 8,000.
According to the Bee, Sheriff Jones’ office has issued more than 4 permits a day every day for the last five years. California law allows county sheriffs discretion in issuing concealed carry permits, so long as the applicants meet certain minimal requirements. His predecessors issued far fewer, and Jones believes there is a “pent-up demand” that he is now meeting by approving permit applications.
Jones was preceded by Sheriffs John McGinness and Lou Blanas, who “issued just over 200 permits from 2005 to 2009.” Currently, Sheriff Jones’ office “often issues as many permits in two months as during that entire five-year period.” One of the ways Jones manages to issue so many permits is by viewing “a general desire to protect oneself and family” as a sufficient fulfillment of California’s “good cause.”
Breitbart News previously reported that concealed carry is also surging in Orange County. The Orange County Register reports that permits in the county are up “nearly ten-fold” over the past two years.
As in Sacramento County, the number of Orange County adults with a carry permit is about 8,000.
AWR Hawkins is the Second Amendment columnist for Breitbart News and political analyst for Armed American Radio. Follow him on Twitter: @AWRHawkins. Reach him directly at awrhawkins@breitbart.com.
COMMENTS
Please let us know if you're having issues with commenting.