Chautauqua County Sheriff's Office

Pistol permit applications skyrocketed in Chautauqua County ahead of today’s deadline for new requirements to obtain a license.

In a news release, the Sheriff’s Office said it generally processes 1,200 pistol permit applications a year; however, the department said it received about 1,000 applications over the past six weeks.

“We will be processing these applications in the order that they were received,” the Sheriff’s Office said.

The Sheriff’s Office is asking applicants to not call its office, even if they haven’t heard yet. “We ask for everyone’s patience as we got no funding or assistance from New York State to handle the influx or changes to the application process,” the department said.

The three main changes in the pistol permit process include revealing any social media accounts an applicant has or had, disclosing all individuals who reside with the applicant, and the requirement of a 16-hour safety course. “The Sheriff’s Office is working on updating our application forms to meet these requirements,” they said.

The Sheriff’s Office noted that just last week, New York state released the minimum standards for a 16 hour safety training curriculum. “Once the course is finalized we will then be able to start accepting new applications under the new laws,” they said.