Yates pistol applications more than triple

YATES, SCHUYLER COUNTIES--In the wake of recent attacks in Paris, France, and San Bernardino, California, more area residents are looking to protect themselves. Yates County Sheriff Ron Spike said the number of people coming into the sheriff's office to get a pistol ownership application has increased from the normal rate of one a day to 30 so far this week.
Yates County Clerk Julie Betts said since they switched to plastic permits in March of 2012, there are 1,150 of those holders currently in their database.
Owner of Seneca Gun Sports along Route 14 in Rock Stream Jim Emmons said while the holiday season tends to see customers buying more firearms, they have also seen pistol sales "slightly above normal," in recent weeks. He attributes this in part due to recent safety concerns. Emmons mentioned in addition to more people buying pistols, there is also an increase in gun owners signing up for the National Rifle Association (NRA) training courses to learn how to properly use their firearm.
Betts said the whole application process to receive a pistol permit from beginning to end takes between two to two and a half months before a resident receives their permit. She said the application requires four character references, as well as a photograph and fingerprints of the applicant. She said the Yates County Sheriff's Department conducts the background checks for residents who live outside of Penn Yan, while the Penn Yan Police Department does the checks for those within the village. The information is then brought before a judge, with the permit being issued if approved. Spike said the entire process can cost around $100.
Betts mentioned there is no limit to the number of pistols a person can have registered, adding the initial card with their photo and information can hold up to five pistols. She added additional cards are issued once that card is filled that can hold an additional 16 apiece.
Spike addressed Ulster County Sheriff P.J. Van Barclum's statement in the wake of the San Bernardino and Paris attacks in which he said to licensed handgun owners "to responsibly take advantage of your legal right to carry a firearm" in public.
"Citizens who possess a valid pistol permit have the right under the law to exercise their license to carry as approved (target shooting, hunting or carry concealed)," Spike said. "If a pistol permit license holder who has a conceal carry permit chooses to carry at all times, then that is their legal right as licensed."
Spike said in these days, he can understand why a concealed carry permit holder may want to follow the Ulster County sheriff's advice. However, he said it is important to know how to properly use the firearm, as well as know the laws about when it is appropriate to use force. Another concern Spike had was in regards to identifying oneself to law enforcement when they arrive on the scene at an incident, as the officers may not always know who is a threat and who is not at first.
"People need to think about when to hide, flee or fight when presented with a threat to do them harm," Spike said. "People need to know their responsibilities with handgun ownership to have familiarity with the weapon, its safety and operational features, its security on and off the person, especially when in storage, and that one understands the use of force laws, as well as identifying oneself if approached by law enforcement. I have always fully supported the law-abiding citizen's right to responsibly bear firearms."
The sheriff said permit holders can read article 35 of the New York State Penal Law to learn when and what force can be used when in danger. This is the same section of law that governs law enforcement's use of force.
A New York State pistol permit holder can only carry their firearm in New York State, outside of the five boroughs of New York City. However, Spike mentioned there are some courses people can take allowing them to carry in multiple states depending on the course and the state.
In Schuyler County, Clerk Linda Compton estimated the number of people applying for a pistol permit in the county has doubled in the past month. Compton noted so far in December, there have been 30 new applications, noting there were only 22 applications in all of December last year. She added there were only nine applications from Dec. 1 to Dec. 9, 2014.
The clerk added while there has been a steady increase in the number of applications since the enactment of the New York Secure Ammunition and Firearms Enforcement (SAFE) Act, she said the recent rise in applications even exceeds that trend. Compton estimated the total number of pistol permit holders in Schuyler County to be more than 4,500.
Compton said the whole application process to receive a pistol permit from beginning to end takes about eight months before a resident receives their permit. She said the process is currently being revamped at the sheriff's department to make it even quicker. Schuyler County Sheriff William Yessman said the number of applicants can have an impact on the timeframe for approval.
"If anyone has considered applying for a pistol permit, I encourage them to do so," Yessman said. "It is a somewhat lengthy process and as the number of applications increases, the time for approval will also increase."
Yessman encouraged those with permits to be responsible with their firearms and to take safety courses to learn proper use.
"I also encourage everyone to take a course on concealed carry and firearm use," Yessman said. "I encourage licensed responsible gun owners to carry their firearm for self-defense. When an active shooter situation or other crime involving the threat of violence with a firearm occurs, it takes time for law enforcement to be alerted and to respond to an incident. If a concealed carry permit holder is present, they may be able to stop the threat. This does not mean that I encourage vigilantism. People should defend themselves and others if possible. They should not pursue and chase any suspect."
The sheriff noted if a concealed carry permit holder had been at the scene of one of the recent shooting incidents, it may have made a difference. Yessman added during the shooting in San Bernardino, California, the shooters had left the scene prior to the arrival of law enforcement. He said it is up to the gun owner to decide when to carry and when to not carry.
"Most people licensed to carry are doing it on their own," Yessman said. "This does not mean that all licensed to carry permit holders should carry their firearm. This is a personal decision that each individual must make."