The federal Department of Justice has initiated an investigation to determine if the L.A. County Sheriff’s Department is infringing on individuals’ gun rights by imposing excessive fees and prolonged wait times for concealed carry permits.
On Thursday afternoon, the DOJ disclosed that it had launched an inquiry into the Sheriff’s Department’s potential violation of 2nd Amendment rights, as part of a wider assessment of “restrictive firearms-related laws” in California and other states.
Federal officials referenced a lawsuit that criticized the 18-month delay experienced by plaintiffs in obtaining concealed carry licenses from the LASD as a justification for the investigation. According to a DOJ news release, it is probable that others are “facing comparably lengthy delays that are unduly burdening, or effectively denying, the Second Amendment rights of the residents of Los Angeles.”
The Justice Department labeled California as a “particularly egregious offender” for resisting recent Supreme Court rulings that favor the 2nd Amendment and enacting additional measures to further limit the right to bear arms. Last month, former President Trump instructed Atty. Gen. Pam Bondi to commence a review of 2nd Amendment laws and infringements nationwide.
“This Department of Justice will not remain passive while states and localities violate the Second Amendment rights of ordinary, law-abiding Americans,” Bondi stated in relation to the LASD inquiry. “The Second Amendment is not a second-class right, and during my tenure, the Department will rigorously enforce the Second Amendment similar to how it enforces other fundamental constitutional rights.”
In a statement released Thursday, the Sheriff’s Department affirmed its commitment to respecting and upholding the 2nd Amendment. The department attributed the delays in permit approvals to limited staffing and a backlog of applications.
“We are dedicated to processing all Concealed Carry Weapons (CCW) applications in accordance with state and local laws to support responsible gun ownership,” the statement read. “Our department is experiencing a significant staffing crisis, with only 14 personnel in our CCW Unit, yet we have successfully processed 15,000 CCW applications. Currently, we are working diligently through approximately 4,000 active cases, striving to comply with this unfunded mandate.”
Jacob Charles, an associate professor of law at Pepperdine Caruso School of Law who specializes in the 2nd Amendment, remarked that he had not encountered a similar investigation before. He viewed it as “another cultural issue dividing red and blue” amid a wider array of “partisan targeting” by the Trump administration of liberal jurisdictions and organizations.
“This needs to be considered in the context of Trump attacking law firms, universities, and cities, counties, and states that do not pledge allegiance to him personally and his vision,” Charles commented. “He’s not even pretending to be a president for all of America.”
Chuck Michel, president of the California Rifle and Pistol Association, welcomed the investigation and informed The Times that it “is one outcome” of his group’s lawsuit challenging the constitutionality of the LASD’s concealed carry permitting process.
“I believe the reason the DOJ is becoming involved in this particular area is due to the findings we revealed in this lawsuit,” he said.
Michel expressed that he would not be surprised if the investigation broadened beyond the county, as other jurisdictions and police departments in California, including the Los Angeles Police Department, also face issues with lengthy wait times and exorbitant fees for permits.
“The main challenges we are currently encountering from somewhat resistant jurisdictions are excessive fees for the application process and long wait times to obtain a license — often exceeding the state’s 120-day limit, with some extending to 18 months or even two years,” he explained.
Bondi mentioned her hope that Thursday’s announcement would encourage other localities to “voluntarily fulfill their obligation to safeguard Second Amendment rights.” If this does not happen, she indicated that this investigation could be the first of many similar inquiries in California and across the nation.
