Community Corner

Towns See Spike in Pistol Permit Applications in Wake of Newtown Tragedy, Gun Control Debate

Durham First Selectman says 'majority of homeowners' have weapons.

 

The number pistol permit application requests in Durham and Middlefield has increased in the wake of the Newtown massacre and talk of tightened gun control laws, according to town officials.

Although she could not provide an exact number, Durham First Selectman Laura Francis said her office has been busier than usual processing applications. 

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"We're definitely seeing an uptick in permits," she said.

"We've seen this phenomenom before. Anytime that there is a perception out there, for whatever reason, that laws are going to be strengthened and access is going to be reduced people come in. Whether it's real or it's perceived." 

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The increased interest in pistol permits began immediately after the shootings at Sandy Hook Elementary School on Dec. 14 that left 26 dead.

"The Monday after Sandy Hook there was somebody waiting at my door," Francis said.

Applying for the permit, which is not required to possess a rifle or shotgun in Connecticut or any antique firearm, begins at the first selectman's office where applications can be obtained.

Applicants must provide fingerprints, a certified copy of their birth certificate, a letter verifying completion of a gun safey course, and must submit to federal and state background checks.

The town charges $70 to process the application, which costs about $150 total.

You must be 21 years old to apply for a permit, which is valid for five years. The application may take up to eight weeks to review and approve, according to the state, and all permits are processed by the Resident State Trooper's office.

The process, however involved or lengthy, has not deterred homeowners in Durham from becoming gun owners, whether for personal protection or hunting.

"I think it's fair to say, that a majority if not a vast majority of households in Durham have weapons of some sort," said Francis.

Like Durham and many other Connecticut towns, Middlefield has seen an increase in residents applying for pistol permits.

Middlefield First Selectman Jon Brayshaw said he'd given out about one permit application a week since taking office eight years ago but recently gave out three in one week.

"You can do the math," he said.

Brayshaw said his grandfather was a gunsmith and recalled that the town once had several gun ranges.

"The high school used to have a gun club. I know, because I was part of it," he said.

Francis believes that the vast majority of gun owners across the country are responsible but said that parents should be prepared to talk to their children about gun safety.

"If I were a parent of young children I would make sure that I had a conversation about gun safety, even if you are a household without them," she said.


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