Printing
Fingerprint Technology speeds up gun permits:
A digital machine that quickly zips fingerprint images to the state crime lab is being added to Whitfield County Probate Court to expedite issuing gun permits.
“It speeds up the process by light years,” said Probate Judge Ray Broadrick. “I’m like a kid with a new toy.”
Fingerprints are part of the criminal background check required to get a gun permit.
The process of getting a gun permit in Whitfield County used to take up to six months when the ink-on-paper method was used. State law requires gun permits be issued within 60 days.
Catoosa and Walker counties also use digital fingerprint machines at the sheriff’s departments.
Catoosa Probate Judge Gene Lowery said the lag time when sending ink/paper prints to the state crime lab was up to eight months, which angered many gun permit applicants.
Actually, no on that last part. State was required to get them to you in 90 days whether they were done doing a check or not. Oops, turns out the article is about Georgia and not TN. And it’s kinda funny that, here in America, gun permit = to carry. In other areas, gun permit = to own.
March 24th, 2008 at 10:50 am
In Washington it’s 30 days max for a permit; I have heard tell in some counties you walk out with the permit the same day you put in the application. Purchase of a pistol (from an FFL) requires the exact same check — you just don’t have to pay any fees and you don’t get a concealed carry permit (open carry is legal without permit and private purchases don’t involve the government at all).
March 24th, 2008 at 11:23 am
And the number of crimes solved by cross-checking CCW applicant fingerprint cards is???
I’m thinking “rhymes with beer-o”
March 24th, 2008 at 12:44 pm
unfortunately here in MASS permit is to own. . . we are not a free state
March 24th, 2008 at 1:00 pm
This is big news because in the last couple of years, the Probate Judges were taking greater than 3 months to as long as 2 years to process applications. The required period was 60 days. When challenged, they blamed the delays on the GBI and FBI. Unfortunately for the Judges, the GBI and FBI wouldn’t backup the Judges claims as their turnaround time was measured in days and weeks.
A grassroots group called GeorgiaCarry.Org sued several of the Probate Judges to force them to comply with the 60 day requirement. The Georgia Supreme Court ruled that 60 days doesn’t mean 60 days. Judges protecting Judges.
Now, GeorgiaCarry.Org is working to pass HB89 which contains language to reverse the Georgia Supreme Court’s decision AND repeal Georgia’s Public Gathering prohibition (PG). The PG repeal is important as a Licensee can not carry anywhere where alcohol is served, public transport, rallies, sporting and entertainment events, etc. In addition, the PG prohibition covers driving to and from those events and in the parking lot. It is a Jim Crow law that was designed to capture the maximum number of armed blacks.
The House passed HB89 with an amendment to do away with the PG. The Senate and Lt. Gov oppose the repeal and have sent the bill to Conference Committee. It appears that the bill will die there unless gun owners increase the noise. The Gov. and Lt. Gov also oppose a Katrina bill.
Back to the original story, the Probate Judges have gotten alot of criticism for their allowing their antigun views to cloud their duties.
If you are a Georgian wanting more information about HB89, check out http://www.georgiacarry.org and http://www.georgiapacking.org
March 24th, 2008 at 2:28 pm
Tennessee had used digital fingerprinting for about 3 years (oddly, they contract it out) in the Handgun Carry Permit program. It had brought the turnaround down to a month or less in most cases. Since the 1st of the year, there has been a dramatic surge in the number of carry permit application and they are back over 8 weeks.
March 24th, 2008 at 2:44 pm
A CCH is required to be issued within 90 days here in NC. Our local sheriff takes all 90 days, even though they have the fancy new fingerprint scanners.
March 25th, 2008 at 5:18 pm
In George it varied by locality. I got my permit in Cobb (suburban Atlanta) and thought the electronical fingerprint machine was soo cool. I got my permit lickity split. In Virginia they have 45 days or they must issue a temporary permit until your real permit comes in.
Whitfield is pretty rural (near Dalton, I think). They probably didn’t have the budget for new fangled technology.