The U.S. Department of Justice launched a civil rights investigation into the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department over long processing delays for concealed weapons permits.
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The probe, led by the DOJ's Civil Rights Division, is part of a broader investigation into California's firearm-related laws.
"This Department of Justice will not stand idly by while States and localities infringe on the Second Amendment rights of ordinary, law-abiding Americans," Attorney General Pamela Bondi said.
Federal investigators said the agency's wait times to process concealed carry weapons permits applications "are unduly burdening, or effectively denying" residents their Second Amendment rights. They cited a federal court decision where two LA County residents said they waited 18 months while deputies reviewed their CCW applications.
"The Second Amendment is not a second-class right, and under my watch, the Department will actively enforce the Second Amendment just like it actively enforces other fundamental constitutional rights," Bondi said.
Following the DOJ's announcement, the Sheriff's Department issued a statement emphasizing its commitment to processing CCW permits despite a "significant staffing crisis."
"The Department is facing a significant staffing crisis, with only 14 personnel in our CCW Unit, yet we have successfully approved 15,000 CCW applications," the department stated. "Currently, we are diligently working through approximately 4,000 active cases, striving to meet this unfunded mandate."
The turnaround time for CCW applications varies greatly between law enforcement agencies. Locally, the Los Angeles Police Department places applicants on a waiting list, and processing time is dependent on the number of residents requesting officer interview appointments.
After that step, the review process takes at least two months after an applicant completes the required training and shooting proficiency forms.
Similarly, applicants in Orange County must wait roughly three months before their initial appointment, according to the National Rifle Association and California Pistol & Rifle Association. The two groups described the process as "long and arduous."
Smaller agencies process applications a bit faster, with the Alhambra Police Department stating that it takes roughly one to four months to finish. According to the Beaumont Police Department, the Riverside County Sheriff's Department took at least 18 months to complete the process compared to the city's roughly two-month waiting period.
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