Texas DPS Struggling To Keep Up With CHL Applications
Angry and frustrated people say they are being forced to wait to get their license to carry a handgun. And the Texas Department of Public Safety admits they are seeing an “overwhelming volume” of applicants.
Andrea Ewen is learning to use a hand gun and she wants to get her license to carry. “Been meaning to do it for a long time and I should’ve done it sooner,” says Ewen.
And she’s not alone — DPS says the number of applicants has exploded recently. During the three-month period from December 2015 through February 2016, DPS saw a 139 percent increase in applicants from the previous year.
“People are upset, people are very upset right now,” says Raul Camacho. He teaches a license to carry course at Safety Measures Security and Firearm Training Academy.
He says the increase is leading to a backlog in licenses. Camacho says, “I got a reply back from one of my students who took a class, I think it was January 8th, and he had told me that he had just got his license a few days ago.”
According to the DPS website, getting a new license to carry is supposed to take 60 days.
Camacho says, “People are upset because people are calling me and they’re saying DPS isn’t answering the phone calls, why is there a voicemail or whatever, why can’t DPS respond to my emails.”
As for Ewen, she still plans on getting her license but now she knows what to expect. She says, “I will still follow through with it, absolutely, and I’ll just wait.”
DPS says they haven’t confirmed how bad the backlog is, but they have hired additional personnel and are working seven days a week processing applications.
Source: http://keyetv.com/news/local/dps-struggling-to-keep-up-with-chl-applications
They could hire more people till they catch up. They will say it’s not in the budget or people would have to be trained to issue a LTC and they can’t afford it. BS.
System says my paperwork was received January 27th, 2016…It’s April 26, 2016 and i’m still waiting.
The problem wouldn’t exist if the State of Texas actually gave a damn about our rights and acted accordingly.