Area CCW requirements, numbers vary
Neighboring Yolo County defends its stricter policies
Guns and laws regulating them are at the front of people’s attention nowadays – and included in the related issues is policy concerning the issuance of concealed weapon permits. A sheriff in a neighboring county recently felt compelled to explain his policy; and local authorities responded with explanations of their policies.
The Yolo County Sheriff’s Office released a statement last week explaining it will continue issuing concealed weapons permits, despite national shooting incidents such as last month’s massacre at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High in Parkland, Fla.
Yolo County is more restrictive than local counties.
“The longstanding policy of the Yolo County Sheriff’s Office regarding concealed weapons is often misunderstood,” the sheriff’s office press release read, adding that it supports the Second Amendment and believes permits keep the community safe.
Sheriff-coroner Ed Prieto released the statement because he was hoping to answer questions that community members “have been asking as of late,” he wrote.
Yolo County, although having a much higher population, has fewer active CCWS (concealed carry weapons permits) than Sutter, Colusa or Yuba counties.
Yolo County Sheriff’s Sgt. Matthew Davis said the sheriff’s department issues less than 20 concealed weapons permits every year. Currently there are 230 active permits – substantially less than Yuba County, with 1,600 current active permits – just under 590 permits were issued in 2016 and 839 were issued in 2017, including renewals.
In Sutter County, almost 3,000 permits are active – 378 new permits were issued in 2016 and 538 were isssued in 2017.
Across the board, Sutter, Yuba, Colusa and Yolo sheriffs review each application before approving or rejecting them.
Each county has its own example of valid and invalid reasons to accept a resident’s request, but each requires that an applicant be a resident of the county and meets all of the standard California Department of Justice requirements, like having a clean record and being “of good moral character,” and to pay fees starting at $60.
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Requirements Yolo County: A 16-hour training at an accredited course is required for new applications. Permit holders can be victims of documented violent crimes, and/or have documented threats of violence. Business owners who carry larger sums of cash or valuable items, and business owners who work all hours in remote areas that may encounter dangerous people or situations can also apply. Applicants must renew their permit every two years after completing a four-hour refresher course.
Yuba County: Residents only need to request it for “personal protection,” so long as they still meet the Department of Justice eligibility, according to Leslie Carbah, spokeswoman for the Yuba County Sheriff’s Department.
Colusa County: “The applicant must show good cause for the issuance of the license,” according to the Colusa County Sheriff’s Office, and must be at least 21 to apply.
Sutter County: “Self-protection is considered a good cause for the issuance of a CCW permit,” the Sutter County Sheriff’s website reads. Applicants must be at least 18 years old, per the website.
Legislation Assembly Bill 2103, introduced this year by Assemblyman Todd Gloria, D-san Diego, would require all counties to be transparent with all of their firearm handling and shooting standards. The bill would also require counties to make available to the public, the minimum number of rounds to be fired and minimum passing scores.
Numerous sheriff’s and local police departments have already adopted the provisions listed in AB 2103, but Gloria said he hopes this will encourage consistency.
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