GRANT COUNTY - Last year, concealed pistol license applications in Grant County increased by more than 30 percent from 2011.

"Our staff is having a tough time keeping up with all of the permits," Grant County Sheriff Tom Jones said Tuesday.

According to the state Department of Licensing, which tracks the number of licenses in each county, 1 in 14 Grant County residents currently carry a permit to conceal a weapon. Overall, 6,375 people in the county have the permit.

In 2012, 1,929 applications were received in Grant County, up from the 1,460 in 2011, an increase of more than 30 percent. Jones said proposed federal government gun regulation and the Sandy Hook Elementary shooting have residents concerned about the future of gun rights.

Permit requests skyrocketed following the Newtown shooting. From Dec. 14, the day of the shooting, to the end of December, 176 applications were filed, according to the sheriff's office. From Dec. 1 to Dec. 13, 51 applications were filed. The sheriff's office processed the most applications by month in December while November saw the lowest numbers. As of Jan. 7, almost 400,000 people in the state currently have a concealed pistol license.

If passed, proposed federal regulations will require more extensive background checks for gun purchases. Jones said he believes the sheriff's office will continue to see more applications in the coming months as gun control remains a highly debated issue. The state of Washington allows concealed weapons under certain conditions based on criminal history and mental health information collected as part of the required background check.