On June 28, 2022, the California State Sheriff’s Association revealed the alarming news that personal information of all California CCW permit holders was exposed in a data leak. The National Training Director of Concealed Coalition, Austin Davis, appeared last week on Newsmax to discuss this incident.
Concealed Coalition’s Official Statement
We are closely monitoring developments related to the massive exposure of personal information of gun owners in California. The data breach temporarily made public personal identifiable information of California residents who hold concealed carry permits. We hope that the release of personal data was simply an innocent error, nevertheless, given the seriousness of the matter, it is essential that a thorough investigation take place. It is disturbing that gun owners who complied with the law in the state now find themselves at risk because of negligence of the state’s Department of Justice.
We are deeply troubled that sensitive personal information—names, birthdates, gender, race, driver’s license numbers, addresses, and background of people who were granted or denied permits to carry concealed weapons—were made public. This puts legal gun holders, including victims of rape and domestic violence, in danger. The California Department of Justice, whether accidentally or not, has given bad actors a roadmap for targeting innocent residents. The department is entrusted to protect Californians, not release personal information that puts them in danger.
While California’s state Attorney General announced that he has launched an investigation into how this occurred at the Department of Justice and vowed to “take strong corrective measures where necessary,” given the seriousness of the matter, we believe a full, independent investigation should take place. The findings must be shared with the public in a timely and transparent manner. A release of information such as this should never happen again. Those responsible must be held accountable.
In the meantime, the safety of Concealed Coalition members, customers, and graduates remains top of mind as we monitor the situation and advocate for accountability and your privacy.
