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Well first post, so hopefully this is in the right place. Anyway, I just wanted to relate what it was like for me to go through the process from start to finish of obtaining my CA CCW in Sacramento county. I did a quick search and found what appeared to be the main thread, but it was really about specific details, I just wanted to give an overview from start to finish.
For me, the process from initial Sheriff Department contact to the actual receipt of my CCW here in Sacramento was not only smooth and painless, but it was surrounded by professionalism all around (save for some SD volunteers, and even then they were just grumpy old men). I honestly believe that in life most of the time you get out of something what you put in, and I'm sure that in some cases things have been less than smooth, but I am curious as to why.
Anyway that said, the process was very smooth, but very slow. After trying to make an appointment via phone, I gave up after multiple calls went to a full voice mail box and opted for an email. I emailed on a wed late Oct 2010, and 1 week later received a reply stating that I could have my application appointment almost exactly 1 month later in early December. I went in on my scheduled date with my application, check and separate letter stating my good cause; they also did the "in person" interview, presumably due to the large influx of people applying, and also due to the idiotic concept of a follow-up phone interview being a major resource hog. The following week they considered applications, a week later they were mailed out and right before Christmas I got my approval letter. With the xmas holiday I held off for a bit on my Live Scan, but I did go and have that done on the 27th at the Sacramento Sheriff's station off Marconi. (NOTE: There were some old guys there that were volunteers, much like the ones that volunteer at hospitals, retired with nothing to do, and they were like little chatty Cathys when it came to the people going in and out, and they did have some not-so-subtle commentary about the people who were paying for livescans due to CCW. They didn't appear to be jerks about it so much as well, oh I don't know... grumpy old guys lol) About a week, week and a half later I got the approval, and took the one weekend class at CA Security about 2 weeks after that 15/16th.
After I passed the multiple choice test and shooting qualification, I went online that Sunday, made an appointment for that Tuesday the 18th. Did my paperwork, paid my fee and one week later, CCW in the mail. I do want to point out, that a) the written test is extremely simple and appears to be somewhere at a 4th grader's level, and b) during qualification, there were some people that clearly didn't shoot much, ie. ALL OVER the target. I'm glad they didn't pass. I think a lot of non-ccw'ers/non-gun people think just about anyone can get a permit and carry, and while that's potentially true, you still need to have at least a certain level of proficiency with your gun.
Every single person I actually interacted with was polite, courteous and professional. The officers and actual admin staff of the Sac Sheriff's department had no hidden grumblings, they were very friendly, and while curt because they were busy, they did put up with some smalltalk and were glad to have a chance to talk with some of the non-bad element citizens of Sac County.
All in all a slow process (what government process isn't?) but a positive one generally speaking, all around.
For me, the process from initial Sheriff Department contact to the actual receipt of my CCW here in Sacramento was not only smooth and painless, but it was surrounded by professionalism all around (save for some SD volunteers, and even then they were just grumpy old men). I honestly believe that in life most of the time you get out of something what you put in, and I'm sure that in some cases things have been less than smooth, but I am curious as to why.
Anyway that said, the process was very smooth, but very slow. After trying to make an appointment via phone, I gave up after multiple calls went to a full voice mail box and opted for an email. I emailed on a wed late Oct 2010, and 1 week later received a reply stating that I could have my application appointment almost exactly 1 month later in early December. I went in on my scheduled date with my application, check and separate letter stating my good cause; they also did the "in person" interview, presumably due to the large influx of people applying, and also due to the idiotic concept of a follow-up phone interview being a major resource hog. The following week they considered applications, a week later they were mailed out and right before Christmas I got my approval letter. With the xmas holiday I held off for a bit on my Live Scan, but I did go and have that done on the 27th at the Sacramento Sheriff's station off Marconi. (NOTE: There were some old guys there that were volunteers, much like the ones that volunteer at hospitals, retired with nothing to do, and they were like little chatty Cathys when it came to the people going in and out, and they did have some not-so-subtle commentary about the people who were paying for livescans due to CCW. They didn't appear to be jerks about it so much as well, oh I don't know... grumpy old guys lol) About a week, week and a half later I got the approval, and took the one weekend class at CA Security about 2 weeks after that 15/16th.
After I passed the multiple choice test and shooting qualification, I went online that Sunday, made an appointment for that Tuesday the 18th. Did my paperwork, paid my fee and one week later, CCW in the mail. I do want to point out, that a) the written test is extremely simple and appears to be somewhere at a 4th grader's level, and b) during qualification, there were some people that clearly didn't shoot much, ie. ALL OVER the target. I'm glad they didn't pass. I think a lot of non-ccw'ers/non-gun people think just about anyone can get a permit and carry, and while that's potentially true, you still need to have at least a certain level of proficiency with your gun.
Every single person I actually interacted with was polite, courteous and professional. The officers and actual admin staff of the Sac Sheriff's department had no hidden grumblings, they were very friendly, and while curt because they were busy, they did put up with some smalltalk and were glad to have a chance to talk with some of the non-bad element citizens of Sac County.
All in all a slow process (what government process isn't?) but a positive one generally speaking, all around.
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