SOUTHBURY, CT – -(AmmoLand.com)- The Connecticut Citizens Defense League (CCDL) announced that since it filed a federal lawsuit against the City of Bridgeport for illegally delaying firearm permit applications.
Bridgeport has now changed its practices to allow applicants a far quicker application process.
At the end of August, CCDL was forced to bring suit against the police chiefs of Bridgeport, Hartford, New Haven, and Waterbury after learning that these officials were unjustifiably delaying law-abiding city residents’ applications for municipal firearm permits, the first step in applying for a state-issued pistol permit.
In that case, Bridgeport resident Anne Cordero had been trying to submit her application for a municipal firearm permit to the Bridgeport Police Department since last year. In June, the Bridgeport Police Department finally instructed her to sign up for an appointment to submit her application. However, when she tried to sign up, she was informed that Bridgeport’s first available appointment just to submit her application was in late January 2022. Other Bridgeport residents have experienced similar delays.
Last week, in the wake of CCDL’s lawsuit, the Bridgeport Police Department contacted the many Bridgeport residents to whom it previously gave lengthy wait times, and offered them much quicker dates, including later this month.
“Bridgeport’s about-face is clearly the result of CCDL’s lawsuit, and another victory for law abiding citizens across Connecticut. Bridgeport residents have been suffering inordinately long wait times just to apply for a permit. Months ago, we reached out to the city and asked it to bring its permitting system in line with the law, warning that if it did not, CCDL would be forced to take legal action. It is unfortunate that Bridgeport’s continued violations of state law and its residents’ constitutional rights, forced CCDL to file suit.”
“Hopefully, this is a sign that the Bridgeport Police Department will follow the law going forward. However, while it appears lawful Bridgeport residents can now apply for firearms permits in a timely manner, we will be watching how long it takes the city to process those applications, which has also been an ongoing problem there,” said Holly Sullivan, CCDL President.
Connecticut Citizens Defense League, Inc. is a non-profit, non-partisan, grassroots organization of more than 41,000 members, committed to protecting the unalienable constitutional right of all citizens to keep and bear arms through legislative and grassroots advocacy, education, research, publishing, legal action, and programs.
The federal civil rights lawsuit addressed above is officially known as Connecticut Citizens Defense League, Inc., et al. v. Jason Thody, et al. The Plaintiffs are represented by Attorney Doug Dubitsky and Attorney Craig Fishbein.
Not much of a win. Why are there any application requirements at all? Finding the Connecticut statute unconstitutional would have been a win.
I agree.
A win would have also included the termination of all LEOs involved, loss of all their benefits (including pensions), loss of their assets (including any they attempted to hide) and incarceration. Also, their legal fees should not be paid by the taxpayers.
Nothing will change until non-civilian government employees lose everything when they infringe on the rights of civilians.
Any win in Kommiecticut is a actually big deal. The win is the cracking down on the fiefdoms that are the police departments in the shithole big cities. CT state statute defines the time frame for getting your town permit as 60 days from date of application. Once you get your town permit, turning that into the statewide permit is an easy formality with the state police. My wife completed her entire permit process in less than four weeks, but we live in a small rural town. These city police departments were purposely dragging out the process to 7 or… Read more »
It’s never a good idea to give government employees the power to regulate firearms.
It’s an especially bad idea to give government employees who aren’t even civilians that power.
https://bearingarms.com/camedwards/2021/08/28/sheriff-faces-no-confidence-vote-over-carry-permit-scandal-n49439
Women should NEVER be sheriffs.
https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/news/courts/story/2020-09-15/former-sheriffs-captain-pleads-guilty-to-illegal-off-roster-gun-sales
https://home.iape.org/features/headline-evidence-news/articles-evidence-news/entry/drugs-guns-money-missing-from-police-evidence-room-report-finds-are-cases-at-risk-read-more-here-https-www-mercedsunstar-com-news-local-community-atwater-article230226844-html-storylink-cpy.html
https://www.syracuse.com/crime/2017/07/former_upstate_undersheriff_sentenced_for_stealing_guns_from_evidence_locker_1.html
Probation? JFC….
Thank him for his service.
I personally do not see this as a win. If these were republicans they would not have stopped at (Oh we got caught lets play right now). They would not have stopped until the Republican police lost their jobs.
until the republicans start playing the game ,rather than just slapping wrist. There is no reason for the other side to stop these illegal antics. There have to consequences by termination of jobs before others become fearful of not doing the right thing
we must be the bucket of water to the fire instead of blowing some wind at it
they are trying what nyc did to nulify the lawsuit ,which at this point is still going forward. hope judge throws out the requirement
Note: the police chiefs who trampled on people’s rights are not civilians.