Berks County sheriff enacts changes in gun permit process

By Jason A. Kahl
Reading Eagle



Berks County residents seeking gun permits will have to apply for them in person beginning Monday under a change enacted by the sheriff to bring the process in line with state police guidelines.

Residents had been able to mail in their gun permit applications but still had to appear in person to get the permits.

Berks County Sheriff Eric J. Weaknecht said the change should not inconvenience the tens of thousands of county residents who have gun permits, which have to be renewed every five years.

"The state police wanted us to have the person in front of us with their identification as an extra check before they run a background check," Weaknecht said.

Application forms are available in the sheriff's office and may be filled out before coming to the courthouse, Weaknecht said.

The forms also are available on the sheriff's Web site, www.co.berks.pa.us/sheriff/.

Weaknecht said that after the form is submitted, the information is sent to the state police, who check local, state and federal databases for the criminal and mental health history of the applicant.
Weaknecht said the background check is usually done quickly and the applicant should be able to leave with the new permit the same day.

In cases where the approval is delayed because state police have to manually check through records, applicants will be sent home and notified later. An example, Weaknecht said, might be an applicant who has the same name as a person with a similar birth date.

In the past, applicants mailed in their information and were called when their permits were ready. To get their permits, they had to show a driver's license or state identification.

Weaknecht said the new process ensures officials know who is applying before they conduct the background check.

Weaknecht said he also plans to open five satellite offices throughout the county to process gun permits.

He said his staff already is talking to officials from Birdsboro, Hamburg, Kutztown, Wernersville and Colebrookdale Township about using space in their municipal buildings one day a month.

"I think that these satellite offices will eliminate all that gas people use to drive into the city and save people time," Weaknecht said.

•Contact reporter Jason A. Kahl at 610-371-5024 or [email protected].


www.readingeagle.com/article.aspx?id=99543

Get a FL non-resident and can all that crap!

It sucks, but its been that way here since I was a kid.

FREE

a what ?
$45

every 4 years for my LCCW

We have "lifetime LTC's" in Indiana, you only have to jump thru the hoops once now.

Thats cool someone else said about the lifetime LCCW in IL......IIRC dont you guys need a foid card to buy guns out there ?

Quoted: Thats cool someone else said about the lifetime LCCW in IL......IIRC dont you guys need a foid card to buy guns out there ?

Don't confuse Indiana and Illinois.  Illinois requires the FOID card, and has no provision for carry licenses or permits.  At all.

In Indiana, you have to have a license to even take your handgun out of your house, and transport it anywhere.  Including to the range.  But with that license, you can carry almost everywhere, open or concealed.  We have very few off-limits places.