From March 2020 to February 2021, the sheriffs office gun permits division saw a 148 percent increase in applications for pistol purchase permits and a 76 percent increase in applications for concealed carry permits, compared to the same time period in 2019. It comes after gun rights advocates sued the Mecklenburg County Sheriffs Office, saying people faced long delays when trying to get handgun permits from the sheriffs office. Records obtained by WBTV show that in some cases in Mecklenburg County the total process takes up to a year. ALSO READ: Police concerned over increase in guns stolen from cars in Charlotte. "I'm sorry but we're not accepting that argument," Valone said. What are ghost guns? Copyright 2021 WBTV. Deputies said for the first time since March 2020, the number of daily pending purchase permits is below 400. required to pay a non-refundable fee of $90.00 to the Mecklenburg County Sheriff's Office. We are processing your application and will update you, via email, as our progress proceeds. He said the length of time to get a concealed carry permit has improved since the height of the pandemic. (a) Any person who resides in the same premises as a minor, owns or possesses a firearm, and stores or leaves the firearm (i) in a condition that the firearm can be discharged and (ii) in a manner that the person knew or should have known that an unsupervised minor would be able to gain access to the firearm, is guilty of a Class 1 misdemeanor if a minor gains access to the firearm without the lawful permission of the minor's parents or a person having charge of the minor and the minor: (b) Nothing in this section shall prohibit a person from carrying a firearm on his or her body, or placed in such close proximity that it can be used as easily and quickly as if carried on the body. Now, a judge is requiring the sheriffs office to take fingerprints on the same day a concealed handgun application is submitted. Sam Cranston has been teaching classes to help people get their concealed carry license for about a decade. I have nothing against my citizens who want to obtain their legal guns, McFadden said. Click here to sign up for the daily Wake Up Charlotte newsletter. CMPD officer taken to hospital after crash in west Charlotte, FORECAST: Sunny skies, cool, and breezy today, Yosemite flood risk, closures block some springtime visitors, Mecklenburg County Sheriff Garry McFadden, accused him of not following the law for issuing handgun permits, struggling to keep up with a surge in gun sales, Meck. Records obtained by WBTV show that in some cases in Mecklenburg County the total process takes up to a year. Click here to sign up for the daily Wake Up Charlotte newsletter, Flashpointis a weekly in-depth look at politics in Charlotte, North Carolina,South Carolina, and beyond with host Ben Thompson. To ensure compliance by a sheriff who has so far dragged his feet, Grass Roots North Carolina advises anyone whose fingerprints are not taken with five business days of completing a concealed handgun application to contact us immediately. From the beginning of the year, there have been 322 applications denied, according to the Sheriff's office. State law requires sheriffs to tell permit applicants within 14 days whether a permit will be granted or denied. By using this website, you accept the terms of our Visitor Agreement and Privacy Policy, and understand your options regarding Ad Choices. Previously, he said he had thousands of guns in his safe because prospective gun owners were waiting for their permits to be processed. Statement from Grass Roots North Carolina president Paul Valone in May, one of the plaintiffs in the injunction: In violation of North Carolina law, Sheriff Garry McFadden has been dragging his feet in processing North Carolina pistol purchase permits and concealed handgun permits, often taking up to a year to issue permits and preventing lawful North Carolinians from buying and carrying handguns for defense of themselves and their families. The Sheriff's Office said they saw an almost 150% increase in gun purchase permits and 76% in CHP applicants during the height of the pandemic. Fingerprints are $10 for up to 5 fingerprint cards. For the latest breaking news, weather and traffic alerts, download the WCNC Charlotte mobile app. Mitch Hyatt, the vice president of Hyatt Gun Shop in Charlotte, is seeing the customer demand. The sheriffs office also said that it never failed to request mental health records within the required 10 days of a completed gun permit application. The sheriffs office said it will stop accepting fingerprinting customers at 4:30 p.m. to accommodate the anticipated long lines. Medical offices that review mental health checks, including Veteran's Affairs, are to blame for the delay, sheriff's office claims, CMPD officer taken to hospital after crash in west Charlotte, FORECAST: Sunny skies, cool, and breezy today, Yosemite flood risk, closures block some springtime visitors, 7,600 concealed handgun permit applications pending in Mecklenburg county, Trudeau orders immediate ban on handgun sales in Canada, Greensboro woman almost robbed after getting help with a flat tire on US-29. Services > Get permits & licenses - City of Charlotte You will be asked for information that will need to be included on the fingerprint card. MCSO continues to remain in compliance with the Pistol Purchase Permits (PPP) and Concealed Handgun Permits (CHP) statue. Always be diligent when using a gun lock. McFadden says hes hiring additional staff and has authorized thousands of hours of overtime to help catch up. Listen to the podcast weekly. The Mecklenburg County Sheriffs Office sent the following statement to Channel 9 in response to our request for comment: PREVIOUS: Meck County making significant progress on concealed carry and pistol permits, sheriff says, At this time MCSO has not received service/notice pertaining to this alleged lawsuit. I regret that as a result, for a period of time, we were unable to process handgun permits as efficiently as any of us would have liked. Becky Ceartas, the executive director of North Carolinians Against Gun Violence, said eliminating the permit would create a dangerous loophole. Gun locks can provide a false sense of security. All it takes is forgetting to lock a gun just one time. Make sure children don't have access to the keys to gun locks and gun and ammunition storage areas. The sheriffs office also said that it never failed to request mental health records within the required 10 days of a completed gun permit application. Meck sheriff: Fingerprinting for gun permits now first come, first served after judges order. After filing the lawsuit Thursday afternoon, Grass Roots North Carolina's Paul Valone and Gaston County-based attorney Ronald Shook told reporters they hoped the lawsuit will result in a court order that will force Sheriff McFadden to speed up the process. "It is the staffing with the VA that is the issue," said Carmichael. Or, I have got other things to do? Please allow 15-20 minutes to complete your Fingerprinting Appointment. By using this website, you accept the terms of our Visitor Agreement and Privacy Policy, and understand your options regarding Ad Choices. Caroline Thomas took a concealed-carry class earlier this year. Residents can check the status of their pistol purchase and concealed handgun permits by visitingthe Mecklenburg County website and clicking on the Gun Permits/Fingerprints tab. The sheriff's office said it has canceled previously scheduled fingerprinting appointments to make them available on a first-come, first-serve basis. To ensure compliance by a sheriff who has so far dragged his feet, Grass Roots North Carolina advises anyone whose fingerprints are not taken with five business days of completing a concealed handgun application to contact us immediately. The thing I try drive home is say its going to take that long regardless of whether you delay or start now. The Mecklenburg County Sheriff's Office said it has made several changes since the pandemic to also streamline the process, including adding staff and mailing permits. Click here to sign up for the daily Wake Up Charlotte newsletter. On the first day of the changes in May, Channel 9s Genevieve Curtis saw several people already standing in line at the sheriffs office. Caroline Thomas took a concealed-carry class earlier this year. Example video title will go here for this video. Or, because I'm busy? McFadden said he chooses to check with individual health providers for each applicant and requests mental health records instead of relying solely on a national database. 14-269.2(b); Exhibits it in a public place in a careless, angry, or threatening manner; Causes personal injury or death with it not in self defense; or. We appreciate your patience as we work to modernize and . I regret that as a result, for a period of time, we were unable to process handgun permits as efficiently as any of us would have liked. Carmichael said the decrease should help with the backlog. It then said it was providing fingerprinting services for gun permits on a first-come, first-served basis to comply with a judges order. A North . She was also in line that morning. The Gaston County Sheriff's Office said pistol purchase permits spiked by more than 9,000 between 2019 and 2020. In May, the sheriffs office transitioned fingerprinting services to a first-come, first-served basis from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. The appointment to get fingerprinted was scheduled for June. Learn about careers at Cox Media Group. is a weekly in-depth look at politics in Charlotte, North Carolina,South Carolina, and beyond with host Ben Thompson. The Mecklenburg County Sheriffs Office has 7,116 concealed handgun permits that are currently unfulfilled as of November 28, 2022, according to data provided by the sheriffs office. The convenience fee is not collected by the Sheriff. In May, a superior court judge granted a preliminary injunction in response to the August 2021 lawsuit. The Mecklenburg County Sheriff's Office canceled all fingerprinting appointments to follow an order issued by a North Carolina Superior Court judge for gun permits. Gun rights advocates are suing the Mecklenburg County Sheriffs Office over the way the county is handling gun permit laws. The Sheriff has forty-five (45) days from the time all application materials, to include receipt of the mental health records, are received to either issue or deny a permit. A copy of the lawsuit against Sheriff McFadden can be viewed here. Once the sheriffs office receives all of the documentation from the investigative process, they have 45 days to issue or deny the permit. So you might as well just start.. According to the lawsuit, both tried to renew them before they expired, but they still have not been granted. Since the beginning of the pandemic MCSO has implemented several changes to the process to be more efficient to include mailing permit(s) to customers to eliminate visits to the office. You can pay for your fingerprinting online and make an appointment for your fingerprinting session. The Mecklenburg County Sheriffs Office offers this online service as a convenience to the community. As sheriff I also have a sworn duty to protect the people I serve, said McFadden. Despite the frustrations he is hearing from people, Carmichael said the mental health checks are necessary. Applications for pistol purchases must be approved within 14 days, while concealed carry permits must be issued or denied within 45 days, according to North Carolina state law. Rons contact information can be found on our website under the gun-friendly lawyers tab., (WATCH BELOW: Sheriffs office faces lawsuit as gun permit applicants wait on approval), Sheriffs office faces lawsuit as gun permit applicants wait on approval. Some said they had been waiting for months to get fingerprinted. He can't deny his constitutional duty. So, I just applied for it when I got the class done back in March and been patiently waiting, Michael Diaz said. You can listen now on Android, iPhone, Amazon, and other internet-connected devices. Any falsification of the information within this application will result in the refusal of this application for a concealed handgun permit. So it was easy to complete but it took between 7 to 8 months to get my permit, he said. All applications received after February 3rd are waiting for mental health releases from one or . It is not on the sheriffs office. Mecklenburg County Sheriff's Office Judge Clifton E. Johnson Building700 E. 4th Street, Suite 120Charlotte, NC 28202Phone: 704-336-3665, Permitium SoftwareEmail:help@permitium.com. It got back closer to normal with the three-month wait, which people were happy about, but now it seems people are back to having a hard time., Theres [definitely] a business impact to us if people have to wait but really we just feel for them, Hyatt said. (d) "Minor" as used in this section means a person under 18 years of age who is not emancipated. Grass Roots North Carolina and Gun Owners of America filed the suit last August. CHARLOTTE The Mecklenburg County Sheriff's Office said it's making significant progress on the processing of concealed carry handgun and pistol purchase permits after a considerable . Thats a big change from the temporary order, which required fingerprinting to be available within five days of an application being submitted. The perfect storm of a global pandemic and a staffing crisis, combined with an unprecedented number of permit applications, presented a significant challenge for our office. In February, she submitted an application for a concealed-carry permit, which included getting fingerprinted. On the first day of the changes in May, Channel 9s Genevieve Curtis saw several people already standing in line at the sheriffs office. McFadden told WBTV that the state law requiring the 14 day time frame is unattainable without additional resources. Every application that we work on that is, that is an application that were catching up on. Sam Cranston has been teaching classes to help people get their concealed carry license for about a decade. Gun rights advocates sued him in August 2021 after applicants faced long delays when applying for permits. In May, the sheriffs office transitioned fingerprinting services to a first-come, first-served basis from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. About 42 percent of those have been completed. [WANT TO WATCH ON OUR STREAMING APPS? "If you are a domestic violence abuser, a minor, somebody experiencing a mental health crisis, you can go to a gun show or online and buy a gun, no questions asked," Ceartas said. CONTRACTORS. Learn about careers at Cox Media Group. All rights reserved. WSOC TV facebook feed(Opens a new window), Meck County making significant progress on concealed carry and pistol permits, sheriff says, Sheriffs office faces lawsuit as gun permit applicants wait months for approval, ALSO READ: Police concerned over increase in guns stolen from cars in Charlotte, Busy road reopens after crash involving police cruiser in northwest Charlotte, Another homebuyer says Keyo Tiny House didnt do the work, Cornelius police officer resigns after arrest, officials say, DMVs scheduling changes to increase walk-in availability take effect, 2-year-old daughter of Tampa Bay Buccaneers LB Shaquil Barrett drowns in pool, WSOC - TV Public File Contact / Program Director, WAXN - TV Public File Contact / Program Director. He would also like to see a state-wide mental health database that his deputies can check instead of sending requests to each provider. Click the button below for Concealed Handgun Permit information and applications. So, I just applied for it when I got the class done back in March and been patiently waiting, Michael Diaz said. Flashpointis a weekly in-depth look at politics in Charlotte, North Carolina, South Carolina, and beyond with host Ben Thompson. Brittney Melton, AP. "If he needs to dedicate more resources to doing it, then I guess he's going to have to do that.". Valone said hes only seen it become an issue in Mecklenburg County. McFadden thanked staff for the overtime to help erase the backlog. In response to that ruling, the sheriffs office canceled all previously scheduled fingerprinting appointments for 1,300 current customers waiting to get gun permits. Click on the button above to start the application/renewal process. The permit costs $90 for new permits and $75 to renew a permit. It includes a required class to conceal carry. Please use the order tracker to print and keep a copy of the attached receipt for your records if you have not already done so. 2023 Cox Media Group. (WATCH BELOW: 66-year-old woman, husband play waiting game to get concealed-carry permits). Through February 2022, more than 13,000 overtime hours have been used for registration, fingerprinting, and filing. What McFadden is doing is, he is exploiting a loophole in the law where the sheriff is allowed to do mental health checks on applicants, Valone said. Example video title will go here for this video. There are some folks that are going ahead and getting a purchase permit and in the state of North Carolina, you can open carry," Carmichael explained. The estimated wait time for an application's competition depends on how quickly the hospitals return the releases. A concealed carry permit [in North Carolina] is good for five years and it is also good in 37 other states, Carmichael explained. You can apply for a new application, renew your current application. A permit to purchase a gun takes about 14 days to process once the application is submitted. When I first got mine it took about 3 months and now I think its at least double that, Ron Pruette, who has been a gun owner for the last 50 years, said. Last August, the Mecklenburg County Sheriff's Office was still processing permits from March of 2021. Another plaintiff is a Mecklenburg County resident who said it took more than three months for her to be fingerprinted after submitting her concealed handgun permit. . Although disappointed with this new requirement to provide fingerprinting for CHP applicants within five days of an application, and the inconvenience that this will result in for so many of our customers, the Mecklenburg County Sheriffs Office will continue to serve our customers as best we can, the sheriffs office said in a news release in May. Gun Owners of America, Gun Owners Foundation, Grass Roots North Carolina, Rights Watch . The cost to get fingerprinted is $10.00 and you can pay that online as part of this process. He can't deny his constitutional duty. Larry Hyatt, the owner of Hyatt Guns, said he has about 2,000 guns in safes on layaway, waiting on their owners' pistol purchase permits to be approved. Join us from North Carolina, South Carolina, or on the go anywhere. CLICK HERE]. You will also be able to choose an appointment with the Sheriff's Office for your fingerprinting session. The Mecklenburg County Sheriff's Office has 7,116 concealed handgun permits that are currently unfulfilled as of November 28, 2022, according to data provided by the sheriff's office. The CCA of NC brings North Carolina's concealed carry community the most complete, current, and accurate information possible. WBTV asked him what else he could be doing to get through applications more quickly. People wanting to carry a gun for self-defense are facing a long wait for a government permit. "Defendant McFadden's custom, policy, and practice of refusing to timely issue pistol purchase . By doing so, you will not be charged the convenience fee. Always lock and store bullets separately from your gun. The processing of the concealed handgun permit takes much longer than the handgun purchase permit. The other plaintiffs have similar allegations, saying the laws have infringed upon the rights of their members. Join us from North Carolina, South Carolina, or on the go anywhere. I support the second amendment and the right to bear arms. The Mecklenburg County Sheriffs Office said they are doing everything they can to get permits issued but the delay isnt with their office. Statement from Grass Roots North Carolina president Paul Valone in May, one of the plaintiffs in the injunction: In violation of North Carolina law, Sheriff Garry McFadden has been dragging his feet in processing North Carolina pistol purchase permits and concealed handgun permits, often taking up to a year to issue permits and preventing lawful North Carolinians from buying and carrying handguns for defense of themselves and their families. Mecklenburg County. One man said he applied in March and had not even been given an appointment date. Listen to the podcast weekly. It is on getting those mental health checks. We always see different sectors of our industry - hunting, self-defense, hobby shooting - and they always move differently," Hyatt explained. The sheriff's office issued a statement saying it was "disappointed" with the new requirement for fingerprinting applicants so quickly. Sess., c. 14, s. Under the order, applications for concealed handgun permits are supposed to be issued or denied within 45 days, and 14 days for pistol purchase permits, according to North Carolina state law. Some said they . Listen to the podcast weekly. No, I can't. "Right now, we are busy on all sectors.". All ofWCNC Charlotte's podcasts are free and available for both streaming and download. "So that is the delay in the process right now. Contact Brandon Golder atbgoldner@wcnc.comand follow him onFacebook,TwitterandInstagram. Updated: 5:38 PM EDT May 12, 2022. Applicant Must be a citizen, a naturalized citizen or a resident alien; be twenty-one (21) years of age; eighteen to twenty (18-20) year olds can apply for a restricted permit; have attained at least one month's residency in Mecklenburg County; Now, a judge is requiring the sheriffs office to take fingerprints on the same day a concealed handgun application is submitted. You do have the option of applying and paying via cash in person at the Sheriffs office. CHARLOTTE There are now new rules in place for people to get a gun permit in Mecklenburg County more quickly. Young children can figure out how to load a gun. "But, we know the people downtown are trying hard. Defendant McFaddens custom, policy, and practice of refusing to timely issue pistol purchase permits and concealed handgun permits violates the North Carolina Constitution because the Sheriffs actions infringe on the right of the people to keep and bear arms, rights that shall not be infringed, according to the lawsuit. Possesses it in violation of G.S. WSOC TV facebook feed(Opens a new window), RELATED COVERAGE: Sheriffs office faces lawsuit as gun permit applicants wait months for approval, Busy road reopens after crash involving police cruiser in northwest Charlotte, Another homebuyer says Keyo Tiny House didnt do the work, Cornelius police officer resigns after arrest, officials say, DMVs scheduling changes to increase walk-in availability take effect, 2-year-old daughter of Tampa Bay Buccaneers LB Shaquil Barrett drowns in pool, WSOC - TV Public File Contact / Program Director, WAXN - TV Public File Contact / Program Director. 11. We deal with a lot of customers from Gaston County, counties surrounding Mecklenburg, and most of those people are getting their permits in the normal 90 day window, Cranston said.
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