Demand for concealed pistol permits jumps in Wash.
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EVERETT, Wash. - Recent shootings have triggered a push that is overwhelming local offices that issue concealed weapon permits.
In Snohomish County alone, the firearm frenzy has officials struggling to keep up with the mushrooming demand.
Brenda Gibbs with the Snohomish County Sheriff's Office says she's seeing more and more people lining up and reading up to apply for a concealed pistol license.
"We have seen an increase over the last couple of months," she says.
Just how big of an increase?
In 2011 the county issued an average of 523 concealed pistol licenses each month. In 2012 that average jumped to 734 per month - with nearly 1,300 issued in December alone - double the number in the same month the previous year.
The numbers signal a contentious time for gun control. This weekend gun advocates rallied peacefully across the nation and in Olympia against President Barack Obama's sweeping federal gun control proposals.
The new plans were spurred by the Sandy Hook Elementary School massacre.
The president called for a ban on high-capacity magazines and assault rifles, along with 23 executive orders that some believe put the Second Amendment in jeopardy.
"I'm initiating my own executive order and buying rifles and magazines before they can no longer be purchased," says gun owner Kyle Schreiner.
In Snohomish County it's that rush to buy that has the Sheriff's Office scrambling to keep up with demand.
"We've had to adjust some staff - try to make sure we have enough people just focusing just on this task," says Gibbs.
The Snohomish County Sheriff's Office says the courthouse office has been so busy some operations have been moved to the eastern part of the county.
In Snohomish County alone, the firearm frenzy has officials struggling to keep up with the mushrooming demand.
Brenda Gibbs with the Snohomish County Sheriff's Office says she's seeing more and more people lining up and reading up to apply for a concealed pistol license.
"We have seen an increase over the last couple of months," she says.
Just how big of an increase?
In 2011 the county issued an average of 523 concealed pistol licenses each month. In 2012 that average jumped to 734 per month - with nearly 1,300 issued in December alone - double the number in the same month the previous year.
The numbers signal a contentious time for gun control. This weekend gun advocates rallied peacefully across the nation and in Olympia against President Barack Obama's sweeping federal gun control proposals.
The new plans were spurred by the Sandy Hook Elementary School massacre.
The president called for a ban on high-capacity magazines and assault rifles, along with 23 executive orders that some believe put the Second Amendment in jeopardy.
"I'm initiating my own executive order and buying rifles and magazines before they can no longer be purchased," says gun owner Kyle Schreiner.
In Snohomish County it's that rush to buy that has the Sheriff's Office scrambling to keep up with demand.
"We've had to adjust some staff - try to make sure we have enough people just focusing just on this task," says Gibbs.
The Snohomish County Sheriff's Office says the courthouse office has been so busy some operations have been moved to the eastern part of the county.
Let the panic begin.....thanks to Rush, Hannity, Beck etc.
You carry a gun to Seattle? Are you kidding me? I guessing you don't get out much. Let me guess, you have never been on a plane, have you???  Common thread I'm observing re: Those who are paranoid about gun control is that their minds are small, they have never read or have an understanding of the Constitution, and most have never left Washington state. Or their bunkers.  By the way...I own a gun.Â
 @rrjj i have been around the world, i have multiple guns!
 @rrjj Well, I never go to Seattle without a gun. It is too dangerous to be defenseless and I can't carry a police officer.
... I already have mine ... no delay for me!
I got a CWP when I was going into downtown Seattle every day but now I don't go there very much so I don't need to carry that often. I definitely keep it current though -- just in case they try to make them harder to get.
Is it any wonder that people are going out and arming them selves. How long did ti take the cop to get there the last time you had to call one. If someone is breaking in you don't want to wait around for the cops to get there when ever they can. I have had my permit for many years and renew it regularly. If someone wants to invade my home they had better be bullet proof.
 @LongBeachBum i saw people breaking in to some cars in a hotel in Colorado, the police showed up an hour later.
How many people here put their trust and allegiance to our government? democratic, republicans or what political party you support. How many of you believe that the government works and responds to "WE THE PEOPLE" and do not lie to us or have hidden agendas? how many of you believe that our government will never get so corrupt, out of hand and tainted that they would bite the hands that feeds them? Just a thought........
Just hope everyone getting their new CWP's use care when carrying their firearms. Accidents make all of us look bad. And handguns with hair triggers are always bad for concealed carry.
My friend and I were in a cafe in Seattle about 3 years ago and a guy came in to get a coffee. I could tell something was off by the way he moved. Suddenly I heard the barista yell if you don't leave I'm calling the cops. This guys started swearing at her and pulled out a knife, at the sight of which both of us drew our handguns. He saw us and ran. SPD came after 20 minutes. But in the meanwhile here are the comments we got - 1."why don't you put that thing away?"
2. " Wow another bunch of NRA nuts" 3. "Come on give the guy a break all he wanted was coffee." 4."Can you guys just leave and go to Starbucks?"
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We didn't get a single thank you....one of the guys rolled his eyes and walked out. I just thought their reaction was interesting.
If you didn't have a reason to shoot, you didn't have a reason to draw your gun.
@watcher did you miss the part where he pulled out a knife? and when he saw 2 guns pointed at him he bolted? Drawing a gun doesn't mean you have to pull the trigger.
 @watcher Look up the "Tueller Drill" http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tueller_Drill
A guy with a knife nearby *IS* an imminent threat worthy of clearing leather and preparing for action. NOT firing when the knife-wielder changes course is ALSO a proper demonstration of restraint. They did things properly.
 @watcher if they turn and run then you better holster your pistol and stand down. We have the right to defend ourselves and others but we most emphatically are not police officers with the training/duty/authority to chase after people with a deadly weapon.
 @Vince Great job! I conceal carry and would do the same thing. People up in Seattle are just a bunch of cry babies.
yeah the barista asked us if we were cops and we said no. Then she told us she didn't think we need to carry guns and only cops should. I didnt say a word until her gay co-worker told her the law and also mentioned that he carries when off work because of all the attacks on the gay community.
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 @Vince It's Seattle, dude.
 @jowsuf  @Vince VERY TRUE!!! i once passed by the farmers market in Seattle in uniform with my platoon Sgt. while we were out for lunch. We had a bunch of people throwing stuff at us and calling us baby killers... yet these same people probably voted for Obama who has in multiple occasions authorized drone strikes in countries where we are not supposed to be in killing innocent people.
I don't know about the idiots throwing stuff at you, but I'd like to say thank you for your service.
 @Klondiko  @jowsuf  @Vince hmmmm.... you can look it up.
@ESSAYONS, ET FAISONS!!! @jowsuf @Vince What's the latest on Sgt. Bales?
 @Vince seems to me that if the guy would have hurt someone they would have been crying and hoping that someone would have stopped him. But you guys did the right thing, thats what conceal permits are for. Its sad to see that a lot of people now a days seem to be demanding so much, they feel so entitled....but do nothing to deserve those things.
Hey guys, my friend started a facebook page to try and promote gun support and eventually show how many people in the state of Washington feels about the whole issue on gun ownership. If you go to the link give the page a like http://www.facebook.com/WashingtonStatesArmedCitizens
 @ESSAYONS, ET FAISONS!!! I would love to give my support on his page but I don't use Facebook. We do need as much support as we can. Our rights are going to be taken away!
 @Thepriest this is true, i hate how people say we are paranoid or thats its just a few tweaks to the 2nd. But thats how it starts, these guys are snakes in the grass. Whats next? few changes and innocent alterations to freedom of speech?
Spread the link to other gun supporters if you can.
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It is a natural HUMAN RIGHT to be able to defend yourself from petty thugs to over bearing governments. The militia is every able bodied citizen, "well-regulated" means to be well prepared or well trained, to keep arms is to possess them, to bear arms means to wear or carry them, shall not be infringed should be obvious to anyone. My human right to defend myself as I see fit is nobody's business but my own. Libs love to preach about civil rights - prove to me how protecting myself from anyone who would do me harm is not a human right. Prove to me how having any measure available to keep government from getting out of control is not a human right. PROVE IT!!
Well said. It's nobody's business what I use to defend myself, escpecially in my home.
In this world of decreased mental health service and shrinking police budgets, it is even more important than eveer to have to ability to protect you and yours.
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The CPP is a handy thing to have for purchasing firearms, if nothing else. Going to Wade's or West Coast Armory for self-defense training is a good idea too.
 @Iconoclast Please explain to me how a cpl Allows me to purchase a firearm. How its any different than using my State Id ( drivers license) I have tried using it and am told I still have to wait. Even for a shot gun. Maybe it is because my last name is unusual. But than I was told by a reputable firearms dealer that they check because something could have occurred legal wise since you were issued the license. Such as domestic violence ect.
@Cindertang The difference is that if you have a CWP you can purchase a gun without the waiting period. You will still have a background check on the day of the purchase, but will be able to take your gun home that day.
 @Surveyor1 Washington state doesn't have a specific waiting period for residents but it does take a few days for the background check to be completed.
 @Cindertang The check should be immediate. Since you are in the federal system I believe that any federally reported changes in your right to possess a firearm go into that record. They still call but I have found no delay on getting approval.
 @Iconoclast CPL
 @dedanann True. I just always read the card stating it is a License to Carry Concealed Pistol and somehow my fingers keep converting that into CPP. Have to watch that
 @dedanann  @Iconoclast Clarification: in some states a license to carry covers more than just firearms. My Arizona permit is abbreviated CWP - Concealed Weapons Permit.
 @acmariner99  @Iconoclast cwp no, knives aren't covered
 @Iconoclast  @dedanann The term isn't uniform - CPL, CWP, CHL, LCCP, or just CL - Carry License.
There hasn't been this much overboard widespread panic since the cold war, except this time it isn't justifiable.Â
 @jowsuf of course you would rather we people just rolled over and gave away your rights as well as ours. If you don't see this obama/biden well crafted assault on the Constitution as a national emergency then you are part of the problem.
 @Rick4001CS You couldn't possibly be exaggerating more. Are you typing from inside your bunker awaiting the apocalypse?
 @jowsuf City of Seattle crime stats show that homicide is up 64%, rape is up 20%, robbery is up 4%, and aggravated assault is up 3% all over 2011.
 @Iconoclast  @jowsuf I would argue an uptick in crime has more to do with our social and economic status far more than it has to do with the availability of weapons. Regardless of what weapons are available it doesn't change the fact that people are desperate, crazy, or think the world owes them.
 @jowsuf I always enjoy your thoughtful comments. I think you are right about that. And I fear some people will find themselves in some trouble because of that snowball effect.
 @jowsuf  @Iconoclast I can't argue with that. People live the "fast life" with their iPads and Smart Phones and merely get their information from blurbs on the internet. I wish more people would put their heads up and see what is going on around them and look into the how's and why's instead of swallowing what the media gives them.
 @acmariner99  @Iconoclast I agree. However, I think the desperation and craziness is coming from a snowball effect of irresponsible media bombardment.
 @Iconoclast You're citing the numbers for one city, and percentages are misleading. A 64% increase in homicides could be as little as a few, and that doesn't mean anything. Sorry, you can't draw that kind of conclusion from those numbers. Statistics are interesting, but don't hold up to scrutiny. This isn't the proper way to show any kind of trend.
 @ButtercupSprinkles You are correct. In fact the US Supreme
Court has recently ruled that the police are not even required to
respond at all.
A citizens personal safety and the safety for their family is now totally
their responsibility.
Besides, even if the police were to respond the reality is that when
seconds count, the police are only minutes away.
 @Thepriest I think one 16 round magazine will suffice.
 @ButtercupSprinkles So true. At my rural home it takes anywhere from 15 minutes to 45 minutes for one of the two deputy sheriffs to get to my house from anywhere on the island--assuming they are not in the middle of something even more important.Â
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When burglars came at night while I was home there was no chance that an officer could be there in time. I was armed and awake when they arrived. Fortunately the intruders decided to quickly leave rather than break in while I was there. Since most people in my area are armed I suspect that fact had something to do with their decision to depart.
 @jowsuf First of all, the impressive number is the total violent crimes for 2012. Is the increase truly statistically significant? Does it really matter how many others are ok if you are someone attacked? In terms of research I would like to see the year over year violent crimes against different individuals. Meaning that rather than examine the crime rate over a single year examine it over multiple years (maybe 5?) and select for unique individuals. Then see what the probability is of being violently assaulted in a 5 year period.
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 @ButtercupSprinkles Sargent Buttercup?  -  apologies, I just had to ask.  :)  -  Thanks for your well needed perspective.Â
 @Iconoclast  @jowsuf If there is more violent crime then I need to carry 2 or 3 extra magazines just to be sure.
As a cop, I've seen a significant increase in violence over the past couple of years. I've seen more incidents of mentally ill people committing crimes against others, and property. I see the stuff everyday that the media does not report. If you are not taking actions to provide for your own protection and that of your family and property, then you are wrong. I can't get there fast enough when that mentally ill and violent transient is trying to kick your door in. Yes, it happens every day. When you call 911, we don't magically appear. Citizens have to accept responsibility for their own security.
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 @Iconoclast You're drawing conclusions from numbers that don't have the statistical bearing that you think they have. http://www.statpac.com/surveys/statistical-significance.htm
 @jowsuf The violent crimes trend for Seattle is my biggest concern since I work in Seattle. The city has reported a reduction in major crimes but violent crimes are up.
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You are welcome to peruse the numbers yourself. They do show significant increases in violent crimes; sufficient (imho) to rebut your assertion of unjustified widespread panic.