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LA County Sheriff's Department settles concealed carry lawsuit with DOJ
ABC7 Los Angeles • • nation
Key Points:
- The Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department (LASD) reached a settlement with the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) to expedite licensing for eligible Californians seeking concealed handgun permits, aligning procedures with the 2022 Supreme Court Bruen decision affirming the right to carry pistols in public for self-defense.
- Prior to the DOJ lawsuit, applicants faced average wait times exceeding nine months; since then, LASD has significantly reduced delays and now meets statutory deadlines by adding resources such as new processing software and additional personnel.
- The DOJ praised LASD's efforts to address the backlog, calling the settlement a major victory for Los Angeles residents and Second Amendment rights, while LASD highlighted the creation of a dedicated Carry Conceal Unit and the transition to a fully automated application process.
- LASD also committed to increased transparency by publicly reporting permit issuance statistics and plans to expand reporting to include total application processing times and other relevant data.
