Rise in gun permits requires sheriff’s office to make a change

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    OMAHA, NE (WOWT ) — There’s one location where the coronavirus crisis was causing more people to gather. The lobby of The Douglas County Sheriff’s Office became so crowded changes had to be made.

This morning the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office lobby wasn’t locked and got loaded with citizens applying for a gun permit.

Tom Wheeler, Chief Deputy said, “It’s about four times the normal amount, we’re typically around 25 gun permits but today now we’re hovering around a hundred.”

That’s more than 320 gun permit applicants showing up at the sheriff’s office in just two and a half business days.

Terry Sanders a permit Applicant said, “I was here yesterday and there were 20 people and they said to come back tomorrow.”

And Terry Sanders came back to submit her gun permit application.

Sanders said, “Nothing going on but you know better to be safe than sorry and so I think that it is important you do things the right way.”

And the lobby often filled with more than 10 people

But by afternoon the crowds and wait are gone, the lobby locked that’s because the sheriff’s office went to a pickup packet and return by mail procedure.

Instructions inside tell citizens how to apply by mail.

Lt. Matt Martin, Sheriff’s office said, “We process it and then mail them the permit if they’re able to get it.”

It takes three days to run a background check and send you a card either permitting a handgun purchase or a denial letter.

Martin said, “You’ve got to have a current driver’s license and current address because we’re going to mail it to the place that’s on your license.”

But waits of an hour have been replaced with a one minute grab and go.

The Douglas County Sheriff’s Office may be on target for a record.

The Chief Deputy tells us that after an extensive records check more than ninety percent of the handgun permit applications filed with the sheriff’s office are approved. Registering with Omaha police or obtaining a concealed carry license involves a separate process.

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