ST. PAUL, Minn. - Minnesota sheriffs issued 55,069 permits to carry a handgun last year, down from more than 71,100 in 2016.
The information comes from The Department of Public Safety Bureau of Criminal Apprehension's annual Permit to Carry Report, summarizing data submitted by Minnesota law enforcement agencies.
Minnesota sheriffs reported receiving 58,219 application requests in 2017. There were 89 permits suspended, 50 revoked and 658 denied last year.
The top five counties for five-year permits issued in 2017 were:
- Hennepin: 7,029
- Anoka: 4,051
- Dakota: 3,535
- Ramsey: 3,429
- Washington: 3,429
Minnesota sheriffs reported that individuals with permits committed 1,335 crimes in 2017. More than 54 percent of them were DWI’s or other traffic offenses.
The total number of valid permits in Minnesota is 282,838.
