Higher number of people carrying guns in Washington
Posted April 1, 2013 8:08 pm.
This article is more than 5 years old.
BELLINGHAM (NEWS1130) – More people are packing heat in Washington State, but troopers say you shouldn’t be worried.
In Whatcom County about 50 new permits per week have been issued over the past two months.
Trooper Mark Francis feels people have their reasons for getting their proper concealed handgun permits.
“One could obviously assume that across the country with mass shootings and things of that nature. I mean personally I’ve even thought about carrying concealed. I think you’d have to ask each individual person their reason but I would assume it is for the personal protection for themselves and their family.”
But does this cause concern for officers?
“The people who are getting these concealed permits, they have to get background checks so everything is squared away in their personal lives. We come a across people all the time that have concealed weapons permits,” says Francis.
Overall Washington state Department of Licensing stats suggest just over five per cent of those who live there have a permit to carry a concealed handgun.
A look at the increase in concealed pistol permits issued in Whatcom County, and the percentage of residents in each community who have one: |
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| Zip | City | Population (2010) | CPLs in June 2012 | CPLs in late March 2013 | Increase since June 2012 | Pop. with CPL in late March 2013 |
| 98220 | Acme | 634 | 67 | 76 | 11.84% | 11.99% |
| 98244 | Deming | 3,001 | 257 | 281 | 8.54% | 9.36% |
| 98240 | Custer | 3,061 | 252 | 275 | 8.36% | 8.98% |
| 98295 | Sumas | 2,409 | 154 | 171 | 9.94% | 7.10% |
| 98247 | Everson* | 9,522 | 596 | 687 | 13.25% | 7.21% |
| 98276 | Nooksack* | 9,522 | 596 | 687 | 13.25% | 7.21% |
| 98262 | Lummi Isl. | 964 | 57 | 64 | 10.94% | 6.64% |
| 98266 | Maple Falls | 3,642 | 208 | 228 | 8.77% | 6.26% |
| 98264 | Lynden | 18,893 | 1,065 | 1,253 | 15.00% | 6.63% |
| 98226 | Bellingham | 41,235 | 2,319 | 2563 | 9.52% | 6.22% |
| 98248 | Ferndale | 22,361 | 1,249 | 1,432 | 12.78% | 6.40% |
| 98230 | Blaine | 15,710 | 869 | 1,035 | 16.04% | 6.59% |
| 98229 | Bellingham** | 30,321 | 1,044 | 1,289 | 19.01% | 4.25% |
| 98225 | Bellingham | 46,172 | 1,295 | 1,456 | 11.06% | 3.15% |
| 98281 | Pt. Roberts | 1,314 | 18 | 26 | 30.77% | 1.98% |
| TOTAL | 199,239 | 9,450 | 10,836 | 12.79% | 5.44% | |
| 98284 | Sedro-Woolley*** | 24,331 | 1,864 | 2,012 | 7.36% | 8.27% |
| * Data is identical because zip codes were combined | ||||||
| ** A small percentage of this population lives in Skagit County | ||||||
| *** Part of this zip code juts into Whatcom County, but almost all of the population is in Skagit County | ||||||
| SOURCES: U.S. Census; Washington state Department of Licensing | ||||||
