PAFOA mentioned in Erie paper.

[Truckman]

Of course they had to thow this in; They didn't commit the crimes, but they are associating themselves with people conducting some criminal activity, so we're a little concerned about who they are associating themselves with," he said. "That's one of the things we have to watch."

Published: February 08. 2010 1:15AM
Firearms permits on rise in Erie, Crawford counties
Permits to carry guns on increase
By TIM HAHN
tim.hahn@timesnews.com
It's getting increasingly difficult to gauge whether a person passing by on a local street is packing a gun.


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Just ask local sheriffs.


The sale of license to carry firearms permits is on the rise locally, as the number of new and renewed permits has taken a noticeable jump in both Erie and Crawford counties.


In Erie County, where 11,583 people, or roughly 4 percent of the population, hold permits, the number of new or renewed permits jumped from 2,800 in 2008 to 3,217 in 2009, according to Erie County Sheriff's Office data.


"We used to average about 2,000 new or renewed permits over my first 10 years (as sheriff). Last year they were up almost 1,500, and out of those, 500 were new permits. The year before that, we had about 500 new permits," said Erie County Sheriff Bob Merski.


Merski said he has noticed younger people, between the ages of 21 and 28, getting permits.


In Crawford County, where 6,326 permit holders represent about 7 percent of the population, new and renewed permits increased from 1,231 in 2008 to 1,663 in 2009, Sheriff Nick Hoke said. There were fewer than 1,100 license to carry firearms and sportsman's firearm permits issued in the county in 2007, according to data compiled by the Pennsylvania State Police.


Although Hoke estimated that about 90 percent of Crawford County's permit holders carry a gun for protection, it's hard to pinpoint specific reasons for the growing numbers, according to those close to the issue.


Some point to fears raised during President Barack Obama's election campaign in 2008 that the Democrat, who had cast a number of anti-gun votes in the Illinois Senate, would push for stricter gun control.


That helped fuel an increase in the sale of guns and ammunition, many local gun dealers said shortly after Obama was inaugurated. The strong sales continue.


"They are buying everything: little bitty pocket guns, 9-millimeters, full-size, the whole works," said Bob McDowell, owner of Bob's Gun Shop in McKean.


McDowell said he has also seen an increase in the number of people taking his firearms classes.


"I used to do a class every six weeks. It's a whole lot more now," he said. "It's getting to the point where I'm traveling to New York to do classes."


But blaming the rise in permits on political changes in Washington does not account for increased shooting sports participation that the Pennsylvania Firearm Owners Association has witnessed over the past year, said Christie Caywood, the association's media relations coordinator.


"The trend of rising interest in the shooting sports and firearms ownership we've seen since 2008 is by no means limited to Erie, or even Pennsylvania. Concealed carry permit applications are one way to measure interest by those who may be most interested in self-defense, or who simply want to make sure they have their legal bases covered when traveling," Caywood said. "We've also seen indications of a nationwide rise in hunting license sales, and there is ample anecdotal evidence from PAFOA members that participation in other shooting sports is on the rise."


The increase in licenses locally has added to the concern of Erie Police Chief Steve Franklin, who said his officers are starting to come across more people with licensed firearms.


Specifically, Franklin said, officers who have investigated recent shootings have encountered people with license to carry permits.


"They didn't commit the crimes, but they are associating themselves with people conducting some criminal activity, so we're a little concerned about who they are associating themselves with," he said. "That's one of the things we have to watch."


The increase in demand has also added to the workload at local sheriff's departments.


Erie County spends $48,000 in wages and benefits for a deputy who oversees the office's firearms division, and roughly $15,000 more on overtime in processing license applications, conducting background checks, issuing licenses and sending out renewal notices when the licenses, which are good for five years, are set to expire, Merski said.


The Erie County Sheriff's Office also is responsible for licensing firearms dealers in the county.


Sheriff's offices in each county recoup a small portion of the $25 license permit fee to help cover costs.


The workload is expected to drop somewhat under a developing plan that will create a unified statewide licensing system that will relieve the sheriffs of some duties, including sending out renewal notices, Hoke said.


What won't change, Merski said, is his office's efforts to keep guns out of the hands of people who shouldn't have them.


He said that while the number of permits issued by his department has increased, so, too, has the number of applications that are denied, either through the Pennsylvania Instant Check System run by the Pennsylvania State Police or by his office's investigations into applicants' backgrounds.


"We're doing a little more, going the extra mile to check with other agencies," Merski said. "We want to make sure law-abiding citizens are getting permits."




TIM HAHN can be reached at 392-7821 or by e-mail.

[JayZ]

SNIPPED from story.

Quote
He said that while the number of permits issued by his department has increased, so, too, has the number of applications that are denied, either through the Pennsylvania Instant Check System run by the Pennsylvania State Police or by his office's investigations into applicants' backgrounds.


"We're doing a little more, going the extra mile to check with other agencies," Merski said. "We want to make sure law-abiding citizens are getting permits."
UN-QUOTE


In other words they are going to Scrutinize every single new permit with a fine tooth comb and if you hang out with someone of undesirable character. NO PERMIT!!!! IMHO

[MDJschool]

CCW

lol.

So can you link us to where Merski is calling for a repeal of 18 Pa.C.S 6109? Does Merski do private transfers of handguns so that 18-21 year olds can obtain them without having to rely upon coming out of state or law-slated sanguinity or affinity?

Or did you just mean compared to all the other sheriffs who suck pretty badly?

[normanvin]

But blaming the rise in permits on political changes in Washington does not account for increased shooting sports participation that the Pennsylvania Firearm Owners Association has witnessed over the past year, said Christie Caywood, the association's media relations coordinator.

PAFOA has amedia coordinator?

[Sebastian]

PAFOA has amedia coordinator?

We do, but she's a volunteer.

[Nic]

As Poofa's media relations coordinator, what does Christie Caywood do exactly? Inquiring minds want to know...

[Sebastian]

As Poofa's media relations coordinator, what does Christie Caywood do exactly? Inquiring minds want to know...

Basically she watches the PAFOA media e-mailbox for press requests, and when she gets one, comes up with a response, consults with Dan, then sends it off.

She volunteered for the job to help Dan out. She's been a PR professional in this issue previously.

[Roland of Gilead]

As Poofa's media relations coordinator, what does Christie Caywood do exactly? Inquiring minds want to know...

And does it involve bacon . . .?



Sorry. Thanks for stepping up and dealing with the media Christie.

[FNG19]

We do, but she's a volunteer.

Who is the "we" that you speak of: the Official Speaks-for-PAFOA "we" that includes a very, very small group of people, or the population of the forum "we"?

[Sebastian]

Who is the "we" that you speak of: the Official Speaks-for-PAFOA "we" that includes a very, very small group of people, or the population of the forum "we"?

"We" being PAFOA. AFAIK, the only person authorized to speak, officially, for PAFOA is Dan. Even with Christie's help, everything that goes out in public is run past Dan.