Concealed gun permits increase across Michigan

LANSING (AP) -- The number of concealed weapons permits in Michigan has doubled over the past five years and now stands at 270,000. While the totals are on the rise, the pace at which such permits have been embraced varies by region. In one Upper Peninsula county, nearly one in 10 adults 21 and older has a permit, according to an analysis published recently by Booth Newspapers. The figure is fewer than three out of 100 in several West Michigan counties. Wherever they live, however, the number of permit holders is rising, and the reason for most is the same: protection. "God created men, but Sam Colt made them equal," said Mike Visser, a certified firearms instructor in Kent County who has trained hundreds seeking a concealed pistol license. Ten years ago, Michigan became a "shall-issue" state, making it easier for residents to obtain concealed licenses if they are at least 21 and meet certain requirements. The first year, 53,000 permits were approved, according to State Police records. Today, the number has quintupled. Five of the state's top 10 counties in terms of licenses per capita are in the Upper Peninsula, and all are in northern Michigan. Five of the bottom 10 -- Kent, Ottawa, Kalamazoo, Muskegon and Berrien counties -- are in west and southwest Michigan. In Kent County, the lowest, only 18 in 1,000 adults has a concealed pistol license, half the state average. Published: Wed, Jun 29, 2011