(Inside details) Why Does It Take the CCW Detail at LVMPD So Long to Issue a CCW Permit?

If you’ve applied for a concealed carry weapon (CCW) permit through the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department (LVMPD), you’ve probably experienced the frustratingly long wait times. While Sheriff Lombardo has repeatedly claimed the delays are due to bottlenecks at the FBI or the Nevada Department of Public Safety (DPS), the real issue lies much closer to home. According to someone directly involved in the process, the primary reason for the delay is insufficient staffing in LVMPD’s CCW department.

Recently, it was confirmed that the FBI and DPS processes are not the culprits. The DPS portion of the background check, for example, typically takes 2-4 weeks. Other Nevada counties—with far fewer resources than Clark County—consistently process CCW permits within this timeframe. So why does LVMPD take upwards of 90 days, sometimes longer? It comes down to the simple fact that there aren’t enough people working in the department to handle the overwhelming volume of applications.

We learned some eye-opening numbers. When LVMPD reduced its processing times from 120 days to around 90, it was because the department doubled its staff from 3 to 6 full-time employees. That improvement came only after years of pleading for additional resources. Yet even with those gains, the department is still woefully understaffed. With more than 30,000 applications annually, 6 staff members are expected to manage the workload, which breaks down to thousands of applications per person every year.

When asked about the sheriff’s insistence that DPS is to blame, the insider didn’t mince words. She agreed that this excuse doesn’t hold water. Other counties, processing the same DPS checks, turn permits around in weeks, not months. The real bottleneck is at the local level, where LVMPD’s limited staff is drowning in a backlog.

Ironically, the “most populous county with the most permit applications” excuse only highlights LVMPD’s inefficiency. With a larger population and more applications, one would expect economies of scale to improve processing times, not hinder them. Instead, the lack of investment in staffing has led to delays that frustrate applicants and tarnish the department’s reputation.

If there’s any takeaway from this situation, it’s that the problem is fixable. More staffing would drastically reduce processing times, as proven by the improvement seen when the department doubled its workforce. For applicants stuck in limbo, it’s time to question why such a high-demand service hasn’t been given the resources it needs. Until then, don’t expect the sheriff’s excuses to hold up under scrutiny.