As of Wednesday, the agency has issued 1,896 concealed weapons permits in December, compared to 1,184 during the same month last year, according to Sheriff's Office records.
The demand highlights the public's concerns following the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting on Dec. 14, Samaniego said.
"The feedback (from the public) is, 'We want to make sure we can protect our family and our property legally.' That's the basic need," he said.
As long as the applicant passes a background check, getting a permit at the Sheriff's Office requires about the same time to make a grilled-cheese sandwich.
"If you came in here and walked up to the permit window, it takes about 10 minutes," Samaniego said.
According to guidelines posted on the website, applicants must be 21 or older, but those 19 or 20 years old with permission of a parent of legal guardian can qualify for a permit. Applicants cannot have felony convictions or a misdemeanor conviction within the last three years.
"We do our due diligence in screening people prior to issuing these permits," Samaniego said.
"Not everybody is entitled to one. It's the sheriff's discretion. If somebody has a (criminal) record, they may not get issued one, but they may possibly stay out of trouble for a few years and get in a position to get one. Of course, I'm referring to minor instances," he said.
http://blog.al.com/spotnews/2012/12/following_sandy_hook_shelby_co.html