Counties handling concealed-carry permits for guns differently during pandemic
Courthouse closures in some counties and restricted access in others have caused sheriffs – who are tasked in Pennsylvania with processing permits to carry a concealed firearm – to change some of their procedures.
The Greene County Courthouse closed to all but emergency matters as of March 20 because of the novel coronavirus pandemic, which meant Sheriff Marcus N. Simms’ office was unable to process any additional concealed-carry permits.
But working with the commissioners and the chief clerk, the Greene County sheriff’s office has begun using a satellite office in the basement of the Greene County Airport, 417 E. Roy Furman Highway, Waynesburg, to issue what are commonly known as gun permits.
The satellite office is open, by appointment only, from 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. on Tuesdays and from noon to approximately 8 p.m. on Thursdays.
Plans call for the satellite office to remain in use until the sheriff and deputies can resume regular operations within the courthouse. It was unknown if limitations might eventually affect the use of the satellite office.
Greene County residents can call 724-852-5218 to schedule appointments.
Simms reminded applicants to bring with them a completed concealed-carry permit application, a digital copy of which can be found at the website https://www.co.greene.pa.us/department-sheriff.
The sheriff’s office will also have paper copies available. Applicants need to bring two references including physical addresses; a form of identification; and a check or money order for $20.
“As the sheriff, I deem the issuance of concealed-carry permits as an essential service to provide to the citizens of Greene County to enable them to protect themselves, their families and to give them the ability to exercise their Second Amendment right,” Simms said in a news release.
In Washington County, working with the commissioners, Sheriff Samuel Romano has moved the process of issuing the permits to the public meeting room on the first floor of the Courthouse Square office building, 100 W. Beau St., by appointment only because of limited staffing.
Signs have been posted outside the building’s main doors on the first level.
The hours and days are 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Tuesday and Wednesday.
Appointments can be made by calling 724-228-6840 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday through Friday.
Romano will continue to monitor concerns with the COVID-19 virus and will adjust the permit process accordingly.
Though the Associated Press reported a significant upturn in gun sales in March, Washington County Deputy Sheriff Anthony Mosco said Thursday he had not seen a marked increase in requests for concealed-carry permits.
“We’re not really experiencing any increase in permits in relation to coronavirus,” Mosco told the Uniontown Herald-Standard on March 17. “We’re probably on pace for what we did in years prior.” He called 2019 “just a light year in general.”
Because of a small space for visitors to the sheriff’s office on the third floor of Courthouse Square, changes had to be made to keep people physically apart.
“We were down for about a week and a half or two weeks until we figured out an alternate location,” he said Thursday. “We’re limited by appointment now.”
Concealed-carry permits have a five-year duration, so the number of renewals are based on the number activated in 2015.