In 2011, the Hamilton County Sheriff's office issued 761 permits to carry a concealed weapon. That's a 62 percent increase from the previous year, according to Sheriff Denny Hagenson.
Hagenson said there were 470 permits were issued from 2010 to 2011. In 2008, about 370 permits were issued, he recalled.
The increase in the number of permits may be connected to a change in the way Iowa issues those permits. Language in the new law means that Iowa is now a "shall issue" permit state whereas the law previously said sheriffs "may issue permits." Iowa became the 37th "shall issue" state in January 2011. The change in language was meant to standardize the permit process, making it more consistent across the state, Hagenson said.
"Some counties just said, 'There's no reason for you to carry a gun, so we're not issuing a permit,'" he said. While law-abiding citizens from Hamilton County could carry a firearm anywhere in the state with permit, citizens in other counties could be denied permits at the sheriff's discretion, he said.
"To me, that's just not fair," Hagenson said. "We've always been a very pro-gun county."
Not everyone can get a nonprofessional permit-to-carry. Applicants can't have a felony record or a domestic violence conviction, nor can they have been convicted in the past three years of an serious or aggravated misdemeanor. There are other restrictions as well. Hagenson said he must back up any denial with documentation for the reason. But he said very few are denied.
A background check is done on anyone applying for a permit, and the applicant must also take a gun safety course and provide proof of completion. Four to five such classes are offered each year through his office, Hagenson said, with about 30 people in each session. Hagenson, Chief Deputy Scott McConnell and Deputy Bill Derrig are Iowa Law Enforcement certified to teach the gun safety courses. Each class is about eight hours in length, he said. The courses cover the Iowa laws, basics of the gun and types of handguns. Following the course, participants must pass a test on the course material.
Permit applicants can also take courses through the National Rifle Association . Those who served in the active military and received firearms training don't have to sit through the class, he said. Internet courses are also available, but Hagenson won't accept those.
"You could have someone else come and sit and take the course for you," he said. "I don't think many around the state are accepting certificates from those courses."
The sheriff said he had not noticed any increase in crime in Hamilton County related to the new permit law. In fact, he said many states had reported just the opposite trend.
"The states that have the 'shall issue' where people are allowed to carry firearms, crime rates actually go down," he said. "Criminals do not know who might be there and come to the defense of the crime victim."
To obtain a permit, applicants must fill out an application, provide a photo identification and the $50 permit fee. Permits have a five-year term and a small plastic permit card has replaced the paper certificate, Hagenson said.
Hagenson said the change in the law was good for the state, but offered one additional consideration he would like to see in the law.
"For the safety of the community, I feel like the person carrying the firearm should be able to demonstrate they know how to use it," he said. "That's one thing I would like to see updated. Then the Iowa permit-to-carry would be valid in many more states."
