Getting a concealed-carry permit in California is, on average, no easy task. This is a “may-issue” state, meaning that any permit application may be denied by law-enforcement agencies at their discretion. But looking at the averages doesn’t give you a great sense of the outliers: The sheriff of San Francisco County hasn’t issued a single permit in years.
Contrast this state of affairs to Sacramento County, where Sheriff Scott Jones has issued thousands of concealed-carry permits since taking office. “It was very early on that I realized this was something on the minds of a lot of people,” Jones said. “My personal feelings were that I would be more permissive. If an applicant is concerned and wants to protect their personal safety, that’s enough …” Sheriff Jones is doing a great thing for Sacramento residents; however, their rights should be enshrined in law, not dependent on the benevolence of one man.
