REDLANDS >> Even though individual city police departments are authorized to issue concealed carry gun permits for their residents, many of them rely on the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department to process those applications.

But this week the city of Redlands’ Police Department has opted to regain control over its permitting process.

Police Chief Mark Garcia, during a town hall meeting Wednesday, discussed concealed weapons and his department’s decision to take over the process.

“A couple of years ago when our resources went down we didn’t have the people to process those applications,” Garcia said. “The law allows me to defer to the sheriff if he’s willing to do that. Graciously, Sheriff (John) McMahon allowed us to do that while we were short on staff.”

Since Redlands police began hiring more personnel, Garcia said he made the decision to again have his department be responsible for the permitting process for city residents.

Redlands is the only city in the county that has requested to regain control of the process, according to sheriff’s spokeswoman Jodi Miller.

“Since Dec. 2, the Sheriff’s Department has received about 7,000 applications for CCWs, so we took that responsibility back,” Garcia said. “Really it’s our responsibility and it was very nice of him to be willing to help with that during that interim time. Now that we have the staffing to do that, we will process those applications.”

There are no drawbacks to processing the permits at the local level, Garcia added.

Part time background investigators will handle the processing of the permits.

“These background investigators are already on staff and will handle this process as well as other employee background and other permits required by local ordinances,” Garcia said. “We started accepting applications this week. I am not sure how long the process will take, but will be based on the number of applications received.”

Applications for the permits to carry a concealed weapon have soared 750 percent in San Bernardino County following the Dec. 2 terrorism attack, according to the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department.

In the past, the department processed 10 permits a week, but since the attack at the Inland Regional Center in San Bernardino, which killed 14 and wounded 22, the number soared to 75, according to sheriff’s spokeswoman Cindy Bachman.

“We have always deferred to the CCW process to the Sheriff’s Department and have made no adjustments since the Dec. 2 attacks,” San Bernardino Police Chief Jarrod Burguan said.

Several documents are needed to apply for a CCW through the Redlands Police Department.

The most recent copy of a utility bill, a rental agreement or a copy of your deed with a parcel number or any other sufficient proof of full-time residency in the city. The name of the person applying for the permit must be listed on the utility bill, deed or rental agreement, according to the city’s website.

Applications may be disqualified for anyone convicted of a felony, lying on the application, and other rules according to the California Department of Justice website.

Sheriff’s officials said it could take several months to a year for the entire process to be complete.

“Our department currently has 2,394 applicants waiting for their interview and 560 applicants currently in background checks,” Miller said Thursday. “New applicants are looking at an 8- to 9-month wait for interview and then the process takes roughly 3 months from then.”

Garcia said the department has received about 50 inquiries, but no applications yet.

The applications and process for applying for a CCW permit is on the department’s website at http://cityofredlands.org/police/ccw.

Staff Writer Sandra Emerson contributed to this report.