Ohio Concealed Carry Permits Hit All-Time High


Ohio concealed carry permits hit a record number of licenses issued in 2012. A new report issued by Attorney General Mike DeWine reveals 78,000 gun owners in the Buckeye State can now pack a concealed weapon.

More concealed carry permits were issued in Ohio in 2012 than any time since the licenses were first issued in 2004, according to a release from DeWine’s office. Statistics for the report were compiled from permits issued in all of Ohio’s 88 counties. During 2012, the state issued 64,650 new licenses and renewed 12,160.

Ohio Attorney General Mike DeWine had this to say about the record number of concealed carry licenses:

“As a strong supporter of the Second Amendment, I am pleased to see more Ohioans than ever before exercising their rights under Ohio’s concealed carry law. I look forward to continuing to work with Ohio’s county sheriff’s to provide information to Ohioans on this law’s usage.”

During the same reporting year, 1,030 concealed carry permits were suspended in Ohio, according to the annual report. In 2011, 946 such licenses were suspended. State statute mandates that county sheriffs immediately suspend the concealed carry license of a citizen who has been arrested or charged with specific crimes. A total of 741 permits were revoked.

A total of 889 Ohioans who applied for a permit to carry a concealed weapon were turned down in 2012. In 2011, 788 residents were turned away when applying for a handgun permit. The concealed carry permit annual report also breaks down concealed carry permit figures by county.

The number of concealed carry permit holders varies widely by county. Some counties have just a few hundred residents carrying weapons, while others have thousands. Franklin County, which includes the capitol city of Columbus boasts approximately 5,000 concealed carry permit holders. A quick glance at the statistics from all 88 counties shows distinct increases in handgun licenses almost across the board.

Do think having a concealed carry permit enhances safety in public places?

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