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Colorado CHP Reports

MarkS

New member
Joined
Aug 19, 2014
Messages
27
Location
Colorado
The annual statutory reports of CHP applications and renewals are now posted on-line at this web site:

http://www.leg.state.co.us/library/...p?documentId=D6727350F8E058DB87256E6600773612

Pick your favorite county and track how many applications were received and how many were denied for what reason. There is no rhyme or reason as far as I can tell.

For example, in 2010, about 19,000 applications were processed, 71 applicants were denied under the Sheriff's discretionary authority (which means that the Sheriff concluded you were too dangerous to hold of CHP), and 16 renewals were denied under the discretionary authority. 191 new applications were denied because of arrests, restraining orders, mental illness, etc. 201 renewals were denied because of arrests, restraining orders and the like.

In 2013, about 58,000 applications were processed. 166 new applicants were denied under the Sheriff's discretionary authority and 37 renewal applicants were denied under the discretionary authority. 296 new applicants were denied for arrests, restraining orders, mental illness and 291 renewals were denied for the same reasons.

In 2014, about 40,000 applications were processed. 127 new applicants were denied under the Sheriff's discretionary authority and none of the renewal applicants were denied under the discretionary authority. (The Sheriffs in 2014 concluded that, unlike all other years, none of the renewal applicants were so dangerous that the renewals warranted denial under the discretionary authority. Said differently, I guess more of the renewal applicants were dangerous in 2010-2013 than in 2014, when no one was dangerous.) 179 new applicants were denied for arrests, restraining orders and mental illnesses and 270 renewal applicants were denied for those reasons.

Generally, I would expect the reasons for denials to track the number of applicants and renewals, but it does not. The stats for individual counties -- you pick your favorite county -- are all over the map, which, for me, indicates a system that is arbitrary in nature.

Colorado should follow its neighbors in Arizona, Wyoming and Kansas (and New Mexico to a degree) and adopt Constitutional carry that does away with the CHP permitting process that requires citizens to get a permission slip from the Sheriff to exercise their 2nd Amendment right to keep and bear arms.

This is a good Wikipedia article on the current status of Constitutional carry.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Constitutional_carry
 

SteveInCO

Regular Member
Joined
May 3, 2013
Messages
297
Location
El Paso County, Colorado
Colorado should follow its neighbors in Arizona, Wyoming and Kansas (and New Mexico to a degree) and adopt Constitutional carry that does away with the CHP permitting process that requires citizens to get a permission slip from the Sheriff to exercise their 2nd Amendment right to keep and bear arms.

I can't disagree with this. I didn't read this years bill to do that, but I know last year the bill simply kept the concealed carry ban in place but made being over 21 and not a prohibited possessor an exception. (Why not just fricking repeal the anti CC language, instead of leaving it all in and saying "but no, we were joking")

I'll maintain that you are right that Sheriffs have some discretion...but they still must be able to make a strong case for their denial, as opposed to them denying it because they don't think you've made a strong case for "needing" to carry a gun, the usual state of affairs in a "May Issue" (really, a "won't issue") state.

Honestly, the horse is dead here, and you can stop beating it.

The more interesting stat in the report is that Denver reports getting 1168 apps yet issued or renewed zero of them, but denied 45 of them. That's a discrepancy of 1123 apps that are apparently in some kind of limbo.
 

MarkS

New member
Joined
Aug 19, 2014
Messages
27
Location
Colorado
I've found comparisons between counties (e.g., compare denials in, say Douglas county to surrounding counties) and denials over time within the same county (e.g., compare discretionary denials in Teller county in 2013 and 2014) to be interesting (in a horrifying kind of way).

Unfortunately, the stats seem to indicate that sheriffs are not applying the law uniformly or consistently over time. Also, unfortunately, the legislature is paralyzed along party lines and this is a situation that is unlikely to change in Colorado. Democracy in action.
 

bomber

Regular Member
Joined
Aug 6, 2009
Messages
499
Location
, ,
Thanks for posting, I'd been looking for that information for 2014 for awhile.

Link is dead now though
 

JamesB

Regular Member
Joined
Jan 13, 2010
Messages
703
Location
Lakewood, Colorado, USA
I've found comparisons between counties (e.g., compare denials in, say Douglas county to surrounding counties) and denials over time within the same county (e.g., compare discretionary denials in Teller county in 2013 and 2014) to be interesting (in a horrifying kind of way).

Unfortunately, the stats seem to indicate that sheriffs are not applying the law uniformly or consistently over time. Also, unfortunately, the legislature is paralyzed along party lines and this is a situation that is unlikely to change in Colorado. Democracy in action.

If you believe the comparison within the same county over time to be arbitrary (not that I disagree) have you looked to see who the sheriff in office at the time was? For example, I know that Jefferson county had Ted Mink for most of that period of time, but was term limited and was replaced about a year and a half ago. Terry Makita was sheriff in El Paso for most of that stretch but isn't now. I'm not sure when within each statistical year that change would have taken place of if it would be reflected in the numbers.
 

MAC702

Campaign Veteran
Joined
Jul 31, 2011
Messages
6,331
Location
Nevada
...For example, in 2010, about 19,000 applications were processed, 71 applicants were denied under the Sheriff's discretionary authority (which means that the Sheriff concluded you were too dangerous to hold of CHP), and 16 renewals were denied under the discretionary authority. 191 new applications were denied because of arrests, restraining orders, mental illness, etc. 201 renewals were denied because of arrests, restraining orders and the like.

... indicates a system that is arbitrary in nature.

Colorado should ... adopt Constitutional carry that does away with the CHP permitting process that requires citizens to get a permission slip from the Sheriff to exercise their 2nd Amendment right to keep and bear arms...

If it's anything like Nevada, being denied by the sheriff for a CCW permit does not prohibit your right to carry openly, so exactly what is the sheriff accomplishing, except forcing you to be armed openly, which he probably doesn't like?
 

SteveInCO

Regular Member
Joined
May 3, 2013
Messages
297
Location
El Paso County, Colorado
If it's anything like Nevada, being denied by the sheriff for a CCW permit does not prohibit your right to carry openly, so exactly what is the sheriff accomplishing, except forcing you to be armed openly, which he probably doesn't like?

Given that most people would rather not carry at all than carry openly, it means they won't carry, even though they could carry. A hoplophobe (or elitist) sheriff would be happy with that outcome.
 

MAC702

Campaign Veteran
Joined
Jul 31, 2011
Messages
6,331
Location
Nevada
Given that most people would rather not carry at all than carry openly, it means they won't carry, even though they could carry. A hoplophobe (or elitist) sheriff would be happy with that outcome.

Agreed.
 
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