New Yorkers en masse want a gun permit

NYPD is in no rush to process applications for a gun permit. Of the 9 applications filed since March, only XNUMX have been processed. Why this is happening so slowly, the publication told New York Post.

Amid the COVID-19 pandemic, there has been a staggering increase in shootings in New York. As a result, nearly 9000 New Yorkers have applied for a gun permit. But the police signed less than 1100 of that number.

The number of applications has tripled over the year - from 2562 applications filed between March 22 and December 31, 2019, to 8088 applications filed since March 22 of this year.

At the same time, according to official data, only 1087 applications were satisfied, compared with 1778 applications satisfied in the same period last year.

Meanwhile, the approval rate since March 22 is less than 14%, compared to almost 70% in 2019.

The sharp drop in the number of approved applications came despite an alarming increase in gunfights by almost 98% and murders by 39%, according to NYPD figures.

On the subject: More shootings recorded in seven months of 2020 in New York than in all of 2019

In recent weeks, there have been a number of disturbing incidents, as a result of which one of the police officers said that he was not surprised that more and more Americans want to acquire weapons. “People are being pushed onto the subway tracks. People are being robbed. And it's all because crime is on the rise, ”the policeman said. "People want to protect themselves."

Gun shop owners say potential buyers have complained about the speed at which their applications are processed by the NYPD licensing department. It is worth noting that this department was caught in a corruption scandal in 2017. “They just stopped processing (license applications. - Ed.), - said the city arms dealer on condition of anonymity. "Every day I talk to disappointed people."

Andy Chernoff, who has owned Coliseum Gun Traders in Uniondale on Long Island since 1979, said: “If I had to rely on New York business, I would be out of business. I've never seen things go so badly. The situation will not improve anytime soon. I bet these people won't get licenses for a year and a half. "

A NYPD source familiar with the situation said there were too few employees in the licensing department to keep up with the flood of new applications, but at the same time accused the department staff of not wanting to process these applications. “Politicians tend to be opposed to licensing, so this is not a priority,” he added.