COLUMBUS - Echoing a rising trend across Ohio, Putnam County issued 133 concealed carry licenses last year compared to 74 in 2011 according to an annual report from Ohio Attorney General Mike DeWine. According to Putnam County Sheriff Mike Chandler, over the first two months of 2013, 108 have already been issued this year.
COLUMBUS - Echoing a rising trend across Ohio, Putnam County issued 133 concealed carry licenses last year compared to 74 in 2011 according to an annual report from Ohio Attorney General Mike DeWine. According to Putnam County Sheriff Mike Chandler, over the first two months of 2013, 108 have already been issued this year.

Sheriff Chandler spoke about the increases and why he believes more concealed carry licenses are being issued.

"It's a couple of things. People are buying into rumors of guns being taken away. Another part of it is increased violence, not in Putnam County, but everywhere and people are looking for a way to protect themselves," he said.

Although rumors have been circulating and people have been worried their guns will be taken away, Sheriff Chandler does not believe this will happen. "I'm not buying into it. It isn't a gun problem; it's a people problem. Legislators are blaming guns, but it is the people using the guns with mental issues that are using the gun as a tool," said Chandler.

Chandler explained that in Ohio, historically the stats for concealed carry licenses have fluctuated up and down. "I foresee them to continue up for at least awhile, but it has always ran unsteady. When (people) see initiative, it will increase again," he said.

The Sheriff's office will continue to support and offer classes for those who are interested in obtaining licenses in Putnam County. "We still teach the classes and will continue to support them," said Chandler.

Across the state, 64,650 new licenses and 12,160 renewal licences were issued by county sheriffs in Ohio, for a total of 78,810. The numbers for 2012 were a big increase over the previous year, when just over 54,000 were issued including 49,828 new concealed-carry licenses. The 2012 figures are the highest number of new licenses in a single year since licenses were first issued in 2004.

The previous combined one-year high was more than 73,000 in 2009.

"As a strong supporter of the Second Amendment, I am pleased to see more Ohioans than ever before are exercising their rights under Ohio's concealed carry law," DeWine said in a release. "I look forward to continuing to work with Ohio's county sheriffs to provide information to Ohioans on this law's usage."

Statewide, 741 licenses were revoked - nearly twice the previous high of 378 in 2009. Application denial hit a high-water mark also, with 889 persons turned down last year for a concealed carry license. Reasons for revoking licenses may include the license holder moving out of state or being convicted of certain types of crimes.