The Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department is being sued by the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) as the federal government accused the law enforcement agency of making it difficult for people to obtain concealed carry weapons (CCW) permits.
The DOJ said after receiving “numerous complaints” about “inexplicable delays” in permitting decisions by the sheriff’s department, it reviewed data and related documents linked to over 8,000 permit applications.
Among more than 8,000 people who applied to conceal carry weapons, only two were approved, the federal government said in a statement.
“Citizens living in high-crime areas cannot afford to wait to protect themselves with firearms while Los Angeles County dithers,” said Acting United States Attorney Bill Essayli. “The right to bear arms is among the founding principles of our nation. It can and must be upheld.”
The investigation began shortly after Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon took office in April, according to the DOJ, and the sheriff’s department was notified of the probe and provided data and documents after two months of receiving the notice.
In response. the LA County Sheriff’s Department said it respects the Second Amendment as it upholds the the constitutional rights of all citizens while disputing DOJ’s claims. The law enforcement agency said it was transitioning from a manual, paper-based system to a digital one during the time when the data was collected.
“(The sheriff’s) department continues to process all Concealed Carry Weapons (CCW) applications in compliance with state and local laws, promoting responsible gun ownership,” said the agency, adding that despite “significant” staffing shortages, it’s approved more than 19,000 CCW applications since 2020.
Year to date in 2025, more than 5,000 permits, including 2,722 new applications, were approved, according to the sheriff’s department.
The statement from the department also claimed that current Sheriff Robert Luna “inherited a dysfunctional system” that caused a backlog of permit applications.
“When he assumed office in December 2022, the backlog was approximately 10,000 applications; it has now been reduced to roughly 3,200—1,300 have been unassigned and 1,900 are in the background process,” the sheriff’s department said.
While the department brought in additional support through personnel loan and reserve deputies to relieve the backlog of firearms permit applications, there’s “fluctuating staffing” as only 13 people were assigned to handle permit applications, according to the agency,
“We remain committed to addressing all applications fairly, promptly, and with a balanced approach. We are confident a fair and impartial review of our efforts will show that the Department has not engaged in any pattern or practice of depriving individuals of their Second Amendment rights,” the LA County Sheriff’s Department said.