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Rush is on for handgun licenses By SARAH LEMON The box containing concealed handgun license applications at the Jackson County Sheriff's Department was nearly empty Wednesday. At first surprising, area residents' rush to pick up the applications in the past week has become typical since the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, said Sgt. R.C. Kennedy, head of the sheriff's civil division. "It went down quick, and that's highly unusual for us," Kennedy said of the box's stock. He said the number of applications picked up in the past week surpasses what the sheriff's department normally goes through in a month. New requests to legally carry a concealed handgun in the county increased by 64 percent in the past week, Kennedy said. Renewal applications increased by 70 percent. Kennedy attributed the increases to a sense of fear residents felt after hijacked planes crashed into the World Trade Center towers and the Pentagon. The last time he saw this phenomenon was just before Y2K - something the sheriff's department had anticipated, he said. But this week, his staff has been burdened by trying to process 120 unexpected applications. And that burden could become harder to bear in the next couple of months, he said. Kennedy said he believes many who picked up applications this week weren't aware they must complete a firearm safety course before the license is issued. But after they finish the classes in the next 30 to 60 days, he said, the sheriff's department likely will see an even larger increase in applications. Oregon residents haven't been required to justify carrying a concealed handgun since 1991 under state law. If applicants meet the state criteria, sheriff's departments must issue the licenses after criminal background and mental health checks are successfully completed. To obtain a concealed handgun license in Jackson County, one must be 21 years old, a current county resident for at least one month and have completed a National Rifle Association firearm safety course. Licenses are not issued if the applicant is a convicted felon, has misdemeanor or felony charges pending in court or has current domestic or stalking restraining orders on file anywhere in the country. They also are denied if the applicants have shown past violent behavior toward others or themselves or have a court-ordered hold for mental health reasons. New licenses cost $65 and usually take six to eight weeks to process. Renewals are $50 and are processed in three weeks to a month, Kennedy said. Reach reporter Sarah Lemon at 776-4487, or e-mail [email protected] . Mail Tribune Home | Ottaway Newspapers, Inc. | Dow Jones & Co., Inc. | Privacy | Contact Us Copyright � 2001 Mail Tribune, Inc.