Handgun permit applications have gone up this year according to a Long Island police report that reflects a nationwide trend.
Handgun Permit Applications Have Surged Significantly
In Nassau City, applications have risen 80%. This is compared with all of 2019. They have increased by 143% in Suffolk’s five biggest western towns. This is according to the counties’ police departments.
Handgun Permit Applications Drove Upward to Due the COVID-19 Pandemic and More
Long Islanders were moved to purchase handguns are March. This occurred with the advent of the Corona Virus pandemic. It was at a peak on the Island. Then they continued after the police killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis sparking protests, according to experts.
Citizens Felt Compelled to Ensure Their Safety
People had concerns with protecting their premises and protecting their families, said Milton Grunwald, a Garden City attorney who helps clients who obtain gun permits in both counties. This is because they were sheltering at home. Grunwald added there were many marches that were taking place. In addition, to the many demonstrations. As a result, people wanted to have protection in their house.
Handgun Permit Applications Stats Per City
The Nassau police processed 2,246 permit applications in 2019. The number was 4,046 by October 31 of this year. 2,338 applications for last year and 5,690 as of December were the figures for Suffolk, police said.
The figures for Suffolk were 2,338 applications last year and 5,690 as of Dec. 1, police said. Gun applications on the East End are also up, though less dramatically, and are handled by the Suffolk Sheriff’s Office.
In Suffolk’s five East End towns, gun applications climbed from 296 last year to 414 so far this year as of Nov. 30, according to the sheriff.
Nationally, surveys have shown an increase in firearms sales and new gun registration. In one indicator, the FBI reported background checks for U.S. gun sales had reached an all-time high of 28 million already by this fall, compared to previous full years, peaking monthly in March at the start of the pandemic and again in June after the Floyd killing.
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