By CASEY MCNERTHNEY
SEATTLEPI.COM STAFF
The number of people applying for concealed-pistol licenses in Seattle has risen 44 percent in recent months -- evidence that a national increase in gun ownership has hit this left-leaning city.
Some gun dealers say it's the economy and fear of chaos that could come if things don't improve. Others believe police won't respond in time to save them from criminals. And there's the fear -- some say paranoia -- that President Barack Obama will try to take their guns away.
Last Sunday, "60 Minutes" reported the number of background checks for weapons purchases nationally has jumped more than 30 percent compared with last year.
Between November and the end of March, Seattle police received 661 concealed-pistol license applications, including renewals and replacements. That's up from 456 received during the same period a year ago.
From November to January, the King County Sheriff's Office received 2,387 concealed-pistol license applications -- an increase of 407 from the period last year.
And Department of Licensing officials say this year they've seen a definite increase statewide.
Through April 14, law enforcement agencies sent the department 27,252 approved concealed-pistol applications. That's 1,945 higher than the full four-month period last year, and an increase of 3,706 from those four months in 2007.
"It's not paranoia, but it's certainly being portrayed that way," said Dave Workman, author of "Washington State Gun Rights and Responsibilities" and senior editor of Gun Week. "I call it being prepared.
"People are looking at the budget crisis facing police and sheriff's departments and they are concerned about being able to defend themselves. Certainly part of this can be can be linked to the concerns that gun owners have about what the Obama administration has in store at some point."
However, Seattle police point to 40-year crime lows citywide and say there's no reason to think police won't be available.
This year, 21 uniformed officers are expected to join police ranks, increasing sworn staffing to 1,330. Another 21 positions are expected to be added next year. The plan is part of Mayor Greg Nickels' Neighborhood Policing Plan, which outlines an increase of 154 officers between 2007 and 2012.
"If we have more officers on the street, in theory there should be shorter response times," department spokesman Sgt. Sean Whitcomb said.
But the same sentiment isn't echoed throughout the region. Last week, State Sen. Tim Sheldon, a Democrat, asserted that Mason County residents could withstand police budget cuts, saying there is "no bag limit" and that home invaders may get a "hot lead enema."
Unincorporated King County has 47 fewer deputies patrolling the area -- which has about 250,000 residents -- than this time last year because of budget cuts. The King County Sheriff's Office had 72 people, including administrative staff, either laid off or transferred to one of about a dozen areas in the county with contracted police work.
"If the cuts to the sheriff's office continue, then yes, we will have less police officers on the street and people should be afraid of that," spokesman Sgt. John Urquhart said.
Sheriff Sue Rahr was told to plan on cutting another $7 million from the office's 2010 budget -- the equivalent of 70 police officers.
"The citizens of unincorporated King County will have less protection in 2010 if the (county) executive is successful with his proposed budget cuts to the sheriff's office," Urquhart said.
And the number of concealed-pistol license applications is only one part of the picture.
Licenses aren't required to buy guns, including assault rifles, though a background check is required for firearms purchases from Washington gun stores.
The FBI's Criminal Justice Information Services Division in West Virginia tracks the total number of transactions in the National Instant Criminal Background Check System.
Spokesman Steve Fischer did not have a month-by-month breakdown of Seattle-area background checks, but the King County Sheriff's Office processed 2,691 background checks from November through January.
That's an increase of 852 from the same period last year.
However, those numbers only include buyers who live in unincorporated King County and roughly a dozen cities where the Sheriff's Office has contracts, such as Shoreline and SeaTac. If the person purchasing a gun lives in Bellevue or Seattle, for example, those departments process the background checks.
During the presidential campaign, Obama said he wanted to restore a federal ban on some semiautomatic assault weapons -- one that passed in 1994 and expired during George W. Bush's first term.
The White House Web site states Obama and Vice President Joe Biden support making the expired federal Assault Weapons Ban permanent and preventing people from buying firearms at gun shows -- called the gun-show loophole.
A Newsweek article this week examines reluctance from leading Democrats, including the president, to speak out recently in support for further gun-control measures.
Sunday on "60 Minutes" Sen. Dianne Feinstein of California agreed that bringing up the assault-weapons ban would be a diversion for Obama, who already is handling crisis issues. But the author of the 1994 assault-weapons ban said she'll pick the time and place to push the issue again.
Assault rifles have recently been the best sellers at Butch's Gun Shop in North Seattle, an employee said. Other Seattle gun dealers also said they've seen an increased demand for assault rifles by people who believe Obama will limit them.
Some gun store employees say ammunition for some guns has been increasingly hard to come by in the past few months.
Even at Stan Baker Shooting Sports, a North Seattle store that specializes in shotgun barrel work and general gunsmithing, employee Robert Patrick said he's seen increased interest from people asking about black hand guns and assault rifles.
"The people who want them think by September they're going to need them," he said of black handguns. "A lot of people are worried that they'll need to protect themselves.
"Does that make us right-wing extremists? I don't think so."
In Washington, there are 231,661 people who have active concealed-pistol licenses, according to the Department of Licensing. Those owners, and people who have assault rifles, have been unfairly marginalized, Workman said.
"I know liberal women who have a gun," he said. "I know gay people who have guns because of all the gay bashing that goes on. … It's an issue of personal protection."
And that issue is one that has some police concerned.
After Sheldon's "hot-lead enema" comment, Mason County Chief Deputy Dean Byrd told KOMO/4 vigilantism would increase the workload and cause extra police investigations.
"'Vigilante' and 'justice' should not be in the same sentence," Whitcomb, the Seattle police spokesman, said. "A person taking justice into their own hands is discouraged because it can be dangerous for citizens.
"And in some cases, it's downright illegal."
There are 4 pages of comments by people.
http://www.seattlepi.com/local/405240_guns17ww.html
SEATTLEPI.COM STAFF
The number of people applying for concealed-pistol licenses in Seattle has risen 44 percent in recent months -- evidence that a national increase in gun ownership has hit this left-leaning city.
Some gun dealers say it's the economy and fear of chaos that could come if things don't improve. Others believe police won't respond in time to save them from criminals. And there's the fear -- some say paranoia -- that President Barack Obama will try to take their guns away.
Last Sunday, "60 Minutes" reported the number of background checks for weapons purchases nationally has jumped more than 30 percent compared with last year.
Between November and the end of March, Seattle police received 661 concealed-pistol license applications, including renewals and replacements. That's up from 456 received during the same period a year ago.
From November to January, the King County Sheriff's Office received 2,387 concealed-pistol license applications -- an increase of 407 from the period last year.
And Department of Licensing officials say this year they've seen a definite increase statewide.
Through April 14, law enforcement agencies sent the department 27,252 approved concealed-pistol applications. That's 1,945 higher than the full four-month period last year, and an increase of 3,706 from those four months in 2007.
"It's not paranoia, but it's certainly being portrayed that way," said Dave Workman, author of "Washington State Gun Rights and Responsibilities" and senior editor of Gun Week. "I call it being prepared.
"People are looking at the budget crisis facing police and sheriff's departments and they are concerned about being able to defend themselves. Certainly part of this can be can be linked to the concerns that gun owners have about what the Obama administration has in store at some point."
However, Seattle police point to 40-year crime lows citywide and say there's no reason to think police won't be available.
This year, 21 uniformed officers are expected to join police ranks, increasing sworn staffing to 1,330. Another 21 positions are expected to be added next year. The plan is part of Mayor Greg Nickels' Neighborhood Policing Plan, which outlines an increase of 154 officers between 2007 and 2012.
"If we have more officers on the street, in theory there should be shorter response times," department spokesman Sgt. Sean Whitcomb said.
But the same sentiment isn't echoed throughout the region. Last week, State Sen. Tim Sheldon, a Democrat, asserted that Mason County residents could withstand police budget cuts, saying there is "no bag limit" and that home invaders may get a "hot lead enema."
Unincorporated King County has 47 fewer deputies patrolling the area -- which has about 250,000 residents -- than this time last year because of budget cuts. The King County Sheriff's Office had 72 people, including administrative staff, either laid off or transferred to one of about a dozen areas in the county with contracted police work.
"If the cuts to the sheriff's office continue, then yes, we will have less police officers on the street and people should be afraid of that," spokesman Sgt. John Urquhart said.
Sheriff Sue Rahr was told to plan on cutting another $7 million from the office's 2010 budget -- the equivalent of 70 police officers.
"The citizens of unincorporated King County will have less protection in 2010 if the (county) executive is successful with his proposed budget cuts to the sheriff's office," Urquhart said.
And the number of concealed-pistol license applications is only one part of the picture.
Licenses aren't required to buy guns, including assault rifles, though a background check is required for firearms purchases from Washington gun stores.
The FBI's Criminal Justice Information Services Division in West Virginia tracks the total number of transactions in the National Instant Criminal Background Check System.
Spokesman Steve Fischer did not have a month-by-month breakdown of Seattle-area background checks, but the King County Sheriff's Office processed 2,691 background checks from November through January.
That's an increase of 852 from the same period last year.
However, those numbers only include buyers who live in unincorporated King County and roughly a dozen cities where the Sheriff's Office has contracts, such as Shoreline and SeaTac. If the person purchasing a gun lives in Bellevue or Seattle, for example, those departments process the background checks.
During the presidential campaign, Obama said he wanted to restore a federal ban on some semiautomatic assault weapons -- one that passed in 1994 and expired during George W. Bush's first term.
The White House Web site states Obama and Vice President Joe Biden support making the expired federal Assault Weapons Ban permanent and preventing people from buying firearms at gun shows -- called the gun-show loophole.
A Newsweek article this week examines reluctance from leading Democrats, including the president, to speak out recently in support for further gun-control measures.
Sunday on "60 Minutes" Sen. Dianne Feinstein of California agreed that bringing up the assault-weapons ban would be a diversion for Obama, who already is handling crisis issues. But the author of the 1994 assault-weapons ban said she'll pick the time and place to push the issue again.
Assault rifles have recently been the best sellers at Butch's Gun Shop in North Seattle, an employee said. Other Seattle gun dealers also said they've seen an increased demand for assault rifles by people who believe Obama will limit them.
Some gun store employees say ammunition for some guns has been increasingly hard to come by in the past few months.
Even at Stan Baker Shooting Sports, a North Seattle store that specializes in shotgun barrel work and general gunsmithing, employee Robert Patrick said he's seen increased interest from people asking about black hand guns and assault rifles.
"The people who want them think by September they're going to need them," he said of black handguns. "A lot of people are worried that they'll need to protect themselves.
"Does that make us right-wing extremists? I don't think so."
In Washington, there are 231,661 people who have active concealed-pistol licenses, according to the Department of Licensing. Those owners, and people who have assault rifles, have been unfairly marginalized, Workman said.
"I know liberal women who have a gun," he said. "I know gay people who have guns because of all the gay bashing that goes on. … It's an issue of personal protection."
And that issue is one that has some police concerned.
After Sheldon's "hot-lead enema" comment, Mason County Chief Deputy Dean Byrd told KOMO/4 vigilantism would increase the workload and cause extra police investigations.
"'Vigilante' and 'justice' should not be in the same sentence," Whitcomb, the Seattle police spokesman, said. "A person taking justice into their own hands is discouraged because it can be dangerous for citizens.
"And in some cases, it's downright illegal."
There are 4 pages of comments by people.
http://www.seattlepi.com/local/405240_guns17ww.html
