Hennepin County Sheriff Opens New Office For Permit To Carry Applications

MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- After increasing demand for permits to carry a firearm in Hennepin County, the Sheriff's Office is taking action.

The Hennepin County Sheriff's Office opened a new office Monday entirely devoted to reviewing applications for firearm permits, according to a press release from the department. The office -- located at the Sheriff's Office Enforcement Services Division Headquarters in Brooklyn Park -- is the second location of its kind in Hennepin County.

The Sheriff's Office says it received 6,421 permit to carry applications in 2015 -- a 16 percent increase from the previous year.

"As Sheriff of Hennepin County it is my job to support and respect constitutional rights and Minnesota state law," said Hennepin County Sheriff Rich Stanek.

To obtain a permit to carry in Hennepin County, the Sheriff's Office says applicants must complete a firearm training course within one year of submitting an application.