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Hawthorne police outline CCW application process after legal changes; city council hears guidance
Summary
Hawthorne Police Department Sgt. Sean Kemp briefed the council on concealed-carry permit (CCW) application steps and recent Penal Code 171b changes that list sensitive locations (including city meetings) where permit holders must not carry weapons.
Sgt. Sean Kemp of the Hawthorne Police Department briefed the City Council on the department’s CCW (concealed carry weapons) program and legal changes that affect applicants and permit holders. He explained that after recent Supreme Court developments and subsequent legislative activity, the local CCW process changed, making local law enforcement responsible for issuing CCW permits and emphasizing resource impacts on smaller agencies.
Key points Kemp made: - Application steps: standardized DOJ paperwork, live scan fingerprinting, an interview conducted by a third‑party vendor, a firearms training course (16 hours initial, 8 hours for renewals), and a background review leading to approval by the sergeant and chief. - Permit duration: CCWs are currently valid for two years; proposals under discussion could extend renewals to four years. - Penal Code 171b: a recent statutory change designates certain locations as sensitive (schools, government buildings including city hall, places of worship, medical facilities, large stadiums, public transit, and public assemblies such as city council meetings). Permit holders must ensure they are not carrying in those spaces. - Practical guidance: Kemp recommended permit applicants who will transport firearms in vehicles consider a DOJ‑compliant lockbox to avoid unintentionally entering sensitive spaces while armed.
Councilmembers asked where training could be taken (any California DOJ‑certified instructor), whether the department performs DOJ background checks (yes, DOJ form 4012), and how long processing takes (typically four to six months under Hawthorne’s current process). Kemp noted the department contracts some steps (interviews/psych evals) to third parties due to staffing demands.
Why it matters: the briefing informed council and the public about local operational impacts of state/federal legal changes affecting CCW issuance, as well as practical implications for public meetings and other sensitive locations.
