• Sheriff’s Department sees big jump in CCW permit applications, too

Sales of guns and ammunition throughout the country have spiked in the wake of the San Bernardino shooting last week, and San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department officials said they fully support the legal ownership of firearms throughout the county.

A spokesperson for the Sheriff’s Department told the Daily Press the department had seen a significant jump in the number of concealed-carry permit applications submitted over the previous week. Deputy Adam Cervantes told the Daily Press on Tuesday the Sheriff’s Department received about 75 applications for CCW permits in the days after the shooting, about seven times the number typically seen.

“As part of the Sheriff’s Department, the Apple Valley Sheriff’s Station supports the issuance of CCW permits to every law-abiding citizen within the county,” Capt. Lana Tomlin said Wednesday.

Victorville Sheriff’s station Sgt. Dave Burgess agreed, adding that all local sheriff’s stations support the same mission as the department.

“Sheriff (John) McMahon’s primary goal is for people to stay safe,” Burgess said. “The Sheriff supports the lawful possession of firearms, and the Victorville Sheriff’s Station supports the exact same mission as Sheriff McMahon.”

Burgess said he personally didn’t have a problem with law-abiding citizens owning and responsibly operating firearms in the Victor Valley.

“As long as citizens are responsible in the handling and storage of legally purchased firearms, I’m all for it,” Burgess said.

Tomlin agreed, noting that she wasn’t concerned about a possible increase in gun-related violence following the uptick in legal firearms sales.

“Our focus must be keeping guns out of the hands of criminals, not law-abiding citizens,” Tomlin said. “I support responsible gun ownership, to include safe storage, weapon familiarity and proficient operation of all weapons.”

[…]

The Sheriff’s Department has issued about 4,000 valid CCW permits to citizens throughout the county, Cervantes said, and there are about 1,000 interviews scheduled through March with citizens who had previously submitted applications. The application can be done online at the Sheriff’s Department website but the approval process can be lengthy, Cervantes said, and there are several requirements applicants must meet before the application is submitted.

“Any citizen who would like to apply for a CCW permit in San Bernardino County must be a U.S. citizen, a permanent resident of the county, and must be at least 21 years old,” Cervantes said. The applicant’s residence, employment history and several other factors are screened in a background check before an interview is scheduled.

Any applicants approved must attend training for the shooting and handling of a weapon prior to the permit being issued, Cervantes said. Permits must be renewed every two years and the training must be repeated for the permit to be renewed — something that’s imperative to owning and operating a firearm, Cervantes said.

“Firearms training is a perishable skill,” Cervantes said. “If you don’t use it, you lose it.”

[…]

Visit the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department website at cms.sbcounty.gov/sheriff for further information on applying for a CCW permit and the requirements needed to be approved.

Source: Paola Baker, vvdailypress.com/story/news/local/desert-dispatch/2015/12/10/shooting-triggers-gun-sales-spike/32892064007/