We recently reported on record numbers of applications for concealed carry permits in California as well as North Carolina. We can add Delaware to that list since Delaware State News reported on Jan. 30, 2016, that concealed carry permits are up 56% from 2014 to 2015.
While police have encountered people carrying concealed legally, they have no way of finding out if anyone with a concealed carry permit has used them in a self-defense situation. There have been no reports of them being used and since they don’t track this data, there’s no way to research if one was used.
“We don’t track cases in a way we could search for that, and no one had any anecdotal recollections,” Mr. Kanefsky, spokesman of the Delaware Department of Justice, said.
In the month of December alone, applications have doubled with 155 in December 2014 and 348 in December 2015.
Gun stores are also seeing an increase in guns purchased for self-protection.
“It seems like years ago you had to have a specific reason to want to conceal a gun, like you were working late and in a dark place or carrying money from a business,” he said. “Now it seems like people are getting them for basic personal protection.” Brian Brown of Smyrna Sporting Goods
To keep up with the increase in applications, the Delaware Department of Justice has two investigators assigned to work on applications as well as 4 other staff members.
