Report 2017-101 Recommendation 1 Responses
Report 2017-101: Concealed Carry Weapon Licenses: Sheriffs Have Implemented Their Local Programs Inconsistently and Sometimes Inadequately (Release Date: December 2017)
Recommendation #1 To: Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department
To ensure that its CCW licensing decisions align with its CCW policy, Los Angeles should only issue licenses to applicants after collecting documentation of specific, personal threats against the applicants so as to satisfy its definition of good cause. If Los Angeles believes that its public licensing policy does not include all acceptable good causes for a CCW license, then by March 2018 it should revise that policy and publish the new policy on its website. It should then immediately begin processing applications according to that revised policy.
Annual Follow-Up Agency Response From October 2020
Response: Do not concur. The Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department has been issuing CCWs consistent with its policies, procedures, and State law. Although the audit concluded the Department was not adhering to policy, this conclusion was based on inadequate documentation rather than evidence of policy violation. Our policies are currently aligned with State law and further defined whereas State law is broad. CCWs have been issued consistent with good cause although, we concur that documentation and retention thereof could be improved. We do not see a need to revise policy based on this audit, however, we recognize a potential need to clarify State law for consistent application throughout its counties.
California State Auditor's Assessment of Annual Follow-Up Status: Will Not Implement
Los Angeles incorrectly asserts that it has issued CCW licenses in accordance with its policies. Figure 1 in our report summarizes the exceptions to Los Angeles's policies and standards that we found in the 25 issued licenses we reviewed. Our report also describes how the department could not demonstrate that it followed its policy related to residency for any of the 25 licenses we reviewed. Also, our report explains Los Angeles's failure to follow its good cause policy in 24 of the 25 licenses we reviewed. Further, five of the files we reviewed did not contain proof of completed training and for three files we reviewed the department could not demonstrate that it had followed its practices related to good moral character.
All Recommendations in 2017-101
Agency responses received are posted verbatim.