So many Texans want gun licenses, DPS adding staff to handle paperwork

[Midwest]

So many Texans want gun licenses, DPS adding staff to handle paperwork

Requests for carry permits is nearly 140% greater now, than this time last year. Texas DPS is adding more people to process the applications and they warn that there could be delays.

According to the article, as of last month. There 966,000 valid license holders in the state. The article attributes the increase to security concerns in the news as possible reasons, while others point to other reasons.

Suffice to say, there are a lot of people interested in getting a carry permit in Texas.


http://trailblazersblog.dallasnews....-in-applications-for-gun-carry-licenses.html/




"AUSTIN – Requests for licenses to carry guns more than doubled in a recent three-month period, prompting the Texas Department of Public Safety to boost staffing, adjust resources and warn gun owners about how to avoid potential delays.

The department said Thursday that it had received 136,000 requests for licenses in December, January and February. That’s a nearly 140 percent increase over the 57,000 applications submitted in the same three-month period the year before."

.

 

[MarkDido]

The difference being, that if NY or NJ CCW applications had skyrocketed like they have in TX., the State Police would have cut staff or at least encouraged the employees to take long, leisurely lunch breaks.

 

[LeonCarr]

Good

Just my .02,
LeonCarr

 

[X-Rap]

All those future OC carriers lining up.

 

[Deaf Smith]

Texas will soon have ONE MILLION LTC holders. I don't think there is 100,000 cops in Texas. 10 to 1 yet you don't here "bloodshed in the streets" happening.

But why so many getting them? Illegal aliens and Muslim terrorists fears. Our government has, and still is, letting us down so they can get more Democrat votes.

Deaf

 

[LeonCarr]

Per the Texas Commission On Law Enforcement (TCOLE) there are 76,410 full time peace officers in Texas.

Just my .02,
LeonCarr

 

[Warp]

Texas is behind many other states in terms of % of the population licensed to carry. Good to hear they are at least trying to catch up.

 

[nathan]

Texas population is about 28 million or even more with all that illegal migrants coming in. Texan s are concern of the uncertainty if ISIS and other nefarious groups in the general state of affairs.

 

[CapnMac]

Texas is behind many other states in terms of % of the population licensed to carry

Texas geography at work.
The state is right at 800 mils E-W, and about 700 miles N-S; there are 254 counties in the state. Three of those counties are larger than Conneticut. One county, Crockett, islarger than Maryland, and has but one incorporated city, Ozona, where 3000± of the County's 4000± population lives.

Of the State's 30± million population, 18 millions live in just 5 metro areas. Houston leads, with just about 7 million spread over 7 counties; then DFW, with about 5 million spread over 3 (+2) counties; then San Antonio about 1 million, then Austin, right at a million, with the El Paso area representing the rest.

Everyone else is spread out far and wide, in dozens of towns and cities of a few thousands each. Theey largely have not needed LTC in their daily lives--the existing laws covered their needs to carry quite sufficiently.

That is until we got "legal" OC, and 30.07 signage. So, now, folks are needing to carry concealed since the national corporation running the local co-op posted a 30.07 sign at the feed-n-seed. Or the local grocery store put up a 30.07 sign (because Corporate told them to), so, folks who drove across an empty County to come get groceries need to comply with no open carry ny just going concealed.

 

[X-Rap]

So your really saying that all rural Texas has been OCing all along but now that they have law on the books making it "legal"they are having to get permits?

 

[Warp]

Everyone else is spread out far and wide, in dozens of towns and cities of a few thousands each. Theey largely have not needed LTC in their daily lives--the existing laws covered their needs to carry quite sufficiently.

How so?

Carry of a handgun on your person was and is illegal without a CHL/LTC. Were all of these folks carrying rifles/shotguns, or handguns kept in their cars?

 

[Red Wind]

X- Rap said it several posts ago. It's simple, all those future OC'ers lining up.That is easily the #1 reason for the enormous application increase.

Let's just use the KISS formula. It's almost always correct.

 

[Warp]

X- Rap said it several posts ago. It's simple, all those future OC'ers lining up.That is easily the #1 reason for the enormous application increase.

Let's just use the KISS formula. It's almost always correct.

Were there that many illegally open carrying all over the state before?

 

[tarosean]

X- Rap said it several posts ago. It's simple, all those future OC'ers lining up.That is easily the #1 reason for the enormous application increase.

Ive seen 2 people OCing on opening day, and 0 since. I dont think thats the reason...

 

[Red Wind]

X-Rap and I have that opinion. You can have any opinion you wish. Still free air out there. For now.

 

[Warp]

X-Rap and I have that opinion. You can have any opinion you wish. Still free air out there. For now.

I have not expressed an opinion, I was asking for clarification as you did not come out and explicitly say that all these folks had been carrying illegally and are now getting licenses so their handgun open carry can be legal. Interesting.

 

[Red Wind]

Someone else brought that up. I don't believe Texans have been OC'ing illegally. Certainly not to any broad extent.

Tarosean expressed an opinion below your post. I was answering him,not you, Warp.

 

[X-Rap]

I made my first comment kind of tongue in cheek but I can't really see another better reason.
Illegal immigration and its accompanying crime have been a problem for years as have any terrorist threat. Big recent change has been the ability to freely OC, albeit with the oddly required CC permit.
I doubt folks out in the Texas hinterland have been casually carrying as they pleased all these prior years.

 

[Warp]

I made my first comment kind of tongue in cheek but I can't really see another better reason.
Illegal immigration and its accompanying crime have been a problem for years as have any terrorist threat. Big recent change has been the ability to freely OC, albeit with the oddly required CC permit.
I doubt folks out in the Texas hinterland have been casually carrying as they pleased all these prior years.

It's also a national trend. More guns, more gun owners, more gun carriers, is the current trend in most of the nation.

 

[EIB0879]

Yeah, my wife and i have put it off, but are going to try to find a class soon. After one of the partners in one of the companies in our enterprise group was attacked and stabbed in his driveway, all of the partners went through a carry class. I don't know how many ended up getting their licenses though.

 

[shiftyer1]

To date I have seen 1 person open carrying and that was this last week. I had the door to my store open due to nice weather and he wouldn't enter without a verbal ok from me. Apparently he had been having an issue with businesses "freaking out". I work in Austin.

As far as carrying without a liscense, I live in a very rural suburb, many have firearms in the car or truck. I'd guesstimate a solid 65% if not higher.

 

[Warp]

To date I have seen 1 person open carrying and that was this last week. I had the door to my store open due to nice weather and he wouldn't enter without a verbal ok from me. Apparently he had been having an issue with businesses "freaking out". I work in Austin.

As far as carrying without a liscense, I live in a very rural suburb, many have firearms in the car or truck. I'd guesstimate a solid 65% if not higher.

Well, it's legal to have a firearm (rifle, shotgun, or handgun) in your car in TX with no license. It's the handgun on your person not in a vehicle where you need the CHL, of course

 

[wishn4more]

Warp's right

It has been legal to travel with a firearm in your vehicle for years in Texas. Yes, loaded and in reach.
I'd prefer mine on me, like the other million Texans.

 

[ROAshooter]

I remember in the 60s...that a gun rack in the back window of a pickup...was standard...in west texas...with a rifle and shotgun....no one gave it a moments thought......times have really changed

 

[Oldman1151]

I remember in the 60s...that a gun rack in the back window of a pickup...was standard...in west texas...with a rifle and shotgun....no one gave it a moments thought......times have really changed

This was common in Ohio in the 1960's as well.