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SALT LAKE CITY -- Concealed firearm permits are a hot item in Utah these days. So much so, that the state agency in charge of issuing those permits is behind to the point of technically breaking the law.
State law says concealed firearm permits have to be issued within 60 days. It's taking at least 70 days right now.
Since November, more people have become interested in exercising their right to carry a concealed weapon and the number of applications has skyrocketed.
That interest is swamping the Utah Bureau of Criminal Identification (BCI). This month, the agency is adding six full-time employees just to process gun permits.
An avalanche of applications is overwhelming them. "We're doing the best that we can with the staff that we have available, and we just don't seem to be able to catch up," said Utah BCI Chief Janet Erickson.
She says, right now, her agency is out of compliance with state law, which requires permits to be issued in 60 days, but here's why:
- In 2005: The Utah BCI processed 11,000 concealed firearm permits.
- In February 2009: The Utah BCI processed that same total of 11,000 concealed carry permits; an average of 1,700 permits a week since the first of the year.
Gun shops are noticing increasing demand for weapons, ammunition and safety training too. In fact, "Get Some" Guns and Ammo recently doubled the number of concealed firearm classes from four to eight.
Some say the reason for this flurry of people interested in the Second Amendment is the current political climate. "A lot of people have just needed the right excuse to push them to the edge to get this done, and this has been it. Something a little closer to home and something like, ‘Hey, this could be taken from me and I've got to stand up for it,'" said Stuart Wallin, owner of "Get Some" Guns and Ammo.
Whatever the reason, new permit applications are coming in from both Utah and elsewhere; 45 percent of the new applications are from out of state.
Even though BCI is not issuing permits in 60 days or less, no one is pressing the matter other than to authorize the six new staffers to get the job done.
E-mail: rpiatt@ksl.com
