Worried that Sacramento's budget problems will trigger the release of hundreds of state prisoners into Riverside County communities, Supervisor Jeff Stone has proposed relaxing the county's rules for issuing permits to people to carry concealed weapons.

Citing the anticipated early release of up to 27,000 inmates statewide, Stone, in a brief report, called on the Riverside County Board of Supervisors to pass a resolution Tuesday asking the sheriff to consider "personal defense" a valid reason for issuing permits.

If the resolution passes, it will be forwarded to Sheriff Stan Sniff as a recommendation. Because Sniff is an elected official and does not work for the supervisors, it will be up to him to decide what to do with the resolution.

"Those prisoners are going back into our communities, and a significant number of them are going to come right back into Riverside (County)," Verne Lauritzen, Stone's chief of staff, said in a telephone interview Monday. "He (Stone) thinks that is going to pose a serious public safety threat to our citizens. And he feels that ... if the state is going to dump a bunch of criminals into our neighborhoods, members of the public ought to be able to defend themselves."

The Board of Supervisors is scheduled to take up the matter at its 9 a.m. Tuesday meeting in Riverside, on the first floor of the county administrative center, 4080 Lemon St.

Lauritzen said concealed weapon permits, known as CCWs, largely are limited to public officials, people in dangerous jobs and those who carry around large sums of money. But if the resolution were put into effect, he said, other people would be able to carry around hidden guns.

Lauritzen said that would make the county a safer place, especially if the anticipated flood of prisoners is realized.

"The more armed the public is, the more deterrence there is to crime," he said.

Lauritzen, however, said Stone does not carry a concealed weapon and has no intention of doing so.

"Jeff's not going to get a permit," he said.

Sniff, however, said a resolution wouldn't change much.

"We use a variety of criteria in granting CCWs for 'good cause,' and already generally include what is being recommended (Tuesday) in this specific board item," Sniff said by e-mail Monday. "This includes 'personal defense' reasons."

According to Sheriff's Department documents, however, applicants must be full-time county residents, undergo background checks and complete firearms safety courses. When seeking permits for "personal protection," prospective permit holders must demonstrate that they have been victims of death threats or harassment by producing restraining orders or other "verified written statements."

The documents also state that the "Riverside County sheriff does not issue permits to 'provide a feeling a safety' or to alleviate 'a fear of victimization.'"

Sniff said that in many cases people think they need concealed weapon permits when in fact they don't.

"State law has long held that no one needs a CCW to possess a firearm in their home or at their personally owned business," Sniff said. "So much of the personal defense issues are a moot point for many of our citizens. CCWs are legal authorization to carry a loaded, concealed firearm in a public place on your person or in a vehicle on our roadways."

Sniff said a few more than 500 people have been authorized by the county to carry concealed firearms. Police chiefs in cities that don't contract for law enforcement services through the Sheriff's Department issue permits, too.

"The county incurs liability for each CCW issued so we control them closely and screen them very carefully to protect the public," he said.

Still, Sniff said the concealed weapon permit is a useful tool and he supports issuing them when appropriate.

"We welcome board input into the process if they feel it important," Sniff said by e-mail. "But it doesn't really change our existing process at all, as we already weigh each one granted from a variety of factors. In the end, each decision is based upon the reasonableness of need and the background of the applicant."

Call staff writer Dave Downey at 951-676-4315, ext. 2623.