Nearly 350 seek guns in Portage Co.

June 13, 2004
(Portage Co.) Daily Record Courier

Nearly 350 people have applied in Portage County for permits to carry concealed weapons since a new law allowing concealed carry in Ohio took effect on April 8.

Portage County Sheriff Duane Kaley said that as of June 9, 348 applications had been recieved by his office seeking the permits. Of those, at least 174 were approved and have been issued permits, while three have been denied and the remainder are pending completion of the process.

“We have noticed the number of applicants slowing down to some degree, and we’re very pleased that of those who have come in and applied, only three were denied,” Kaley said Wednesday. “What this tells us is that we’re not having an influx of unsavory people coming in to apply.”

Within the first week after the law went into effect, more than 150 applications were made - a result of those applicants taking the required CCW classes before the law actually was in effect.

“We definitely had an initial rush due to that,” Kaley said.

Still, nearly six weeks after the law took effect, Kaley said the sheriff’s office is scheduling appointments daily to give the permits to those who have been approved.

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In order to obtain a permit, a person must be at least 21 years old and have completed a 12-hour training course certified by the National Rifle Association or the Ohio Peace Officer Traning Council. There is a $45 processing fee to obtain a permit, and a background check of the applicant is also checked to make sure they are eligible to receive one.

Kaley explained that many criminal convictions - such as felony drug charges, assault charges or falsification of a CCW license - can result in a denial.

So far, the application process has gone pretty smooth. Though the state allows a 45-day period for sheriff’s offices to process requests, Kaley said the processing time in Portage County is about two weeks.

“We’re well within the guidelines of the state,” he said. “When we do issue the permits, we want to make sure that person has the very best understanding of the law itself and its limitations.”

Anyone who lives in Portage County or a neighboring county, such as Cuyahoga, Stark or Mahoning, may come to the Portage County Sheriff’s Office to apply for the license.

So far, it appears as though most of the applicants are Portage County residents, though the county has received some from out of town.