Permits to carry concealed weapons are on the rise in Orange County as a result of a court ruling last February, relaxing standards on acquiring a concealed carry weapons permit, or CCW.

In August of 2013 there were less than a 1,000 active or pending applications and in August of 2014 there were almost 5,000.

To obtain a CCW, an applicant must be 21 to attain the weapon they will be licensed for, take a multiple choice test regarding the penal code, and deposit a fee for the length of time the CCW will be in effect, according to a permit application from the O.C. Sheriff’s Department obtained by The Express.

The applicant is also required to report any infringements they have had with the law. Those with a felony or misdemeanor cannot obtain a CCW.

Carriers are, according the LA Times, “restricted from carrying in bars, airports, some schools, and government buildings.”

On SJHHS school campus, weapons of any sort are prohibited. No student, parent, or staff member is allowed to carry any kind of weapon on campus; even with a CCW license, according to Darrin Jindra, Assistant Principal.

However, staff members are not required to tell the school if they have a CCW or even a DUI, said Jindra.

Because of his past experience in law enforcement, Jindra has a CCW but he is not allowed to carry his weapon on school grounds. The only person allowed to carry their weapon on campus is Deputy Sanchez of the O.C. Sheriff’s Department.

But not all counties in California have relaxed their standards on CCW’s. Sheriff Sandra Hutchens is one of the few sheriffs in California that has relaxed the standards to obtain a CCW. LA and San Diego sheriffs have not.

“People [may] feel like it’s their last resort, [especially] with the crazies who are just shooting and doing the mass killings” said Jindra.

Many people also fear attacks on a school campuses, and overall these fears may lead to a rise in applications, according to Jindra.

But on SJHHS campus, there is not an emergency weapon, even for Jindra to use. The only defense against a shooter on campus is to lock down the school and wait for law enforcement to arrive.

Jindra admits that unless he was “made aware,” he would have no idea that someone brought a weapon on campus, with or without a CCW

Consequences of being found with a weapon depend on the situation and intent, but can lead to expulsion in some cases. These guidelines are further explained in the penal code. Bottom line, no weapons will be allowed on SJHHS campus.