DOJ Opens Civil-Rights Probes Into CT Police Over Carry Permit Delays

The DOJ just opened civil-rights investigations into the Waterbury and Middletown police departments over how they handle Connecticut carry permits, and if you've ever waited on a permit decision, this one's worth watching.

Key points

• What's being investigated: Federal officials sent letters on October 22, 2026, to both departments' mayors and chiefs, examining whether permit denials and processing delays under Connecticut General Statutes § 29-28 violate applicants' Second Amendment rights.
• Legal basis: The probes run under 34 U.S.C. § 12601, which bars law enforcement agencies from a pattern of conduct that deprives people of constitutional rights, and lean on the Supreme Court's Bruen decision warning that permitting delays can function as an unconstitutional barrier to carry.
• The backlog behind it: A 2025 state audit found Connecticut's Board of Firearms Permit Examiners had 1,203 unheard appeals as of March 2024, with hearings already scheduled out to March 2026.
• Not an isolated case: This follows a similar DOJ investigation into Pennsauken Township, New Jersey, opened October 14, 2026, signaling a broader federal push into local permitting bottlenecks.
• Where it stands: No wrongdoing has been found yet; departments have five business days to name a point of contact, and DOJ can seek agreements or litigation if it finds cause.

Quick take

Nobody's permit gets approved faster because DOJ sent a letter, but this is a real signal that federal civil-rights enforcement is starting to treat bureaucratic foot-dragging as its own Second Amendment problem, not just outright bans. Worth watching if you live anywhere with a slow-walking permitting office.

Read the full story: ammoland.com