Five months, 12K new licenses; WA at front end of CCW surge

Seattle Gun Rights Examiner ^ | 10 April, 2012 | Dave Workman

[marktwain]

In the five months between early November and early April, the Washington Department of Licensing logged nearly 12,000 new concealed pistol licenses, putting the Evergreen State definitely on the front end of a national surge that is seeing record numbers of private citizens “arming up.”

Back on Nov. 9, 2011, this column checked with DOL to find there were 345,786 active CPLs on the books. Five weeks later, on Dec. 19, that number had jumped to 348,660 active CPLs and as this column reported on April 5, the number had climbed more significantly to 357,782 issued CPLS. That’s a total of 11,996 new CPLs in five months, and subsequently, KING 5 News checked and in one day, the number had jumped to 358,335 active CPLs. That's 553 CPLs in one day.

Down in Florida, where concealed carry has been under fire along with the state’s “Stand-Your-Ground” statute in the wake of the Trayvon Martin killing by legally-armed George Zimmerman, the Leesburg Daily Commercial reported:

Nearly one in every 17 Florida adults has a license to carry a concealed weapon, with Lake County ranked 13th statewide in the issuance of such permits, according to figures compiled last month by the state.

The newspaper noted that Lake County is 19th among the Sunshine State’s 67 counties in population, but 13th when it comes to the per-capita number of Concealed Weapons Licenses, with more than 19,700 citizens legally able to carry concealed firearms.

To contrast the situation in Florida, the Daily Commercial added this note, quoting from the Los Angeles Times:

Texas has about 6 million more residents than Florida but half as many concealed-weapons permits, according to records from the Texas Department of Public Safety. Texas' 461,724 permits amount to one for every 37 adults.

[marktwain]

Washington State has about 1 permit for 19 residents. I believe that South Dakota has the most, with about 1 permit for 13 residents.

[Sparticus]

Washington State has about 1 permit for 19 residents. I believe that South Dakota has the most, with about 1 permit for 13 residents.

If you exclude children, that works out to 1 in 14.5 in Washington state with a carry permit.

[MrB]

Everyone “feels” the “SHiFT” coming...

[lonevoice]

Ping!

[Pride in the USA]

Don’t you find this interesting since Washington State is as liberal as it gets? I wonder how many of these libs are now packing? Something doesn’t add up here.

[MNDude]

the story about Zimmerman is going to make it 1 out of 5.

[lonevoice]

Yep, I’d like to see a demographic breakdown between number of CCW west of the Cascades, versus east of the Cascades. Something tells me it would help illuminate the situation.

[Sparticus]

Don’t you find this interesting since Washington State is as liberal as it gets? I wonder how many of these libs are now packing? Something doesn’t add up here.

Only half the state is liberal. Eastern Washington is pretty conservative. We also have a longer history of CCW than most states as we were one of the first states to institute a "shall issue" CCW law.

[USNBandit]

We have to get CCW permits in WA because the DMV is giving previously deported criminal aliens driver’s licenses. Washington’s problem isn’t illegal aliens anymore. It is violent criminals, who were deported to their country, coming back to Washington and the state giving them the means to stay.

[libstripper]

This makes me sad. Here in TN I can’t apply for a new permit because I already have one and we have about the same percentage of permit holders as Washington.

[Joe Brower]

[B4Ranch]

>>Texas has about 6 million more residents than Florida but half as many concealed-weapons permits, according to records from the Texas Department of Public Safety. Texas’ 461,724 permits amount to one for every 37 adults.<<

I realize it would very likely be impossible for the LA Times journalist to determine why there is such a difference in CCW holders between the two states.

Allow me to assist the liberal writer with this quote, “Don’t pick a fight with an old man. If he is too old to fight, he’ll just kill you.”

[going hot]

Simple really.

You are not allowing for dead voters, voting fraud, counting irregularities, and outright theft.

[An American!]

According to http://www.txdps.state.tx.us/administration/crime_records/chl/demographics.htm

Active License Holders and Certified Instructors
Period Ending	Active License Holders	Certified Instructors
Dec 31, 2008	314,574	1,511
Dec 31, 2009	402,914	1,881
Dec 31, 2010	461,724	2,164

I could not find the 2011 numbers yet.