City Council Member Seeks Gun Permit

A City Council member who represents parts of Staten Island, Vincent Ignizio, says he is hoping to obtain a gun permit from the city — a process that can take up to six months.

Mr. Ignizio, a Republican, said he wants to buy a rifle or a handgun for protection in his home. When he was growing up on Staten Island his father owned a gun for protection and he said he always knew he would do the same when he had a family. His first child, a girl, was born earlier this month.

If approved Mr. Ignizio would join a small group of elected officials known to own guns. A council member who is a Democrat and represents parts of Queens, Peter Vallone Jr., owns a rifle and said he is not aware of any other council members who own firearms. Mr. Ignizio's plan to arm himself was reported by the Staten Island Advance and picked up on the politics Web log of the New York Observer.

A professor of police studies at John Jay College of Criminal Justice, Eugene O'Donnell, said the New York City Police Department is famous for being "unwelcoming" when it comes to obtaining a firearm permit.

"Those who apply often are not happy with what they see as a pretty lengthy and exacting process," he said. "I don't know if it is the most restrictive in the nation, but I would guess they are right up there at the top."