That thought process has police concerned. At Manchester’s Board of Directors meeting Tuesday, Chief William Darby said his department has seen a drastic increase in pistol permit applications over the past few years.
“I believe that people are arming themselves because they want to feel safe in their homes,” said Darby.
Darby explained that of the pistol permit applications he’s seeing, many of them are people in their 50s and 60s and have never owned a gun before.
“People think it’s OK to use deadly force to protect your personal property. It’s not,” said Darby.
In both Manchester and Glastonbury, there have been recent incidents where car thieves have been seen in broad daylight with weapons. On July 10, a car was stolen from a home on Manchester’s Hillcrest Road. Residents in that neighborhood, who spoke with NBC Connecticut Wednesday, shared their thoughts on town residents applying for gun permits.
As the year draws to a close, the Journal Inquirer has compiled a list of the Top 10 stories of 2020. This is No. 8 in that series, which concludes Dec. 31.
The fatal shooting of Jose Soto by police on April 2 happened in the early weeks of the COVID-19 pandemic and didnât create an immediate stir.
But after the death George Floyd at the hands of Minneapolis police in May spurred nationwide protests and put the focus on police, Sotoâs death gained new attention.
And the Connecticut General Assembly convened for a special session in July to pass a controversial law enforcement accountability bill.