DOJ opens civil rights probes of two Connecticut police departments over permit delays

Reported by Page 2 – AmmoLand Shooting Sports News, Bearing Arms and Page 2 – News2A. Daily Gun News has not independently confirmed this.

The Justice Department has opened civil rights investigations into the police departments of Waterbury and Middletown, Connecticut, over alleged delays and denials of firearm carry permits, according to AmmoLand. The reports were published on October 23, 2026.

Bearing Arms also reported that the department is investigating permitting delays in two Connecticut towns.

News2A reports that the inquiry is being handled by the department's Civil Rights Division. The outlet describes it as the second permitting investigation the department opened within eight days, and says officials told News2A that more investigations are coming.

AmmoLand reports that the federal action arrives as Connecticut gun owners deal with a longstanding backlog of permit appeals. According to the outlet, some applicants have waited years for a hearing.

Daily Gun News previously covered a report that DOJ is investigating a New Jersey city over permit delays.

What is not yet known

No Justice Department announcement, letter or other primary document was included in the sources available for this article, so the scope of the investigations, the specific practices under review and any timeline have not been confirmed from a government source. The sources do not say how the Waterbury or Middletown police departments have responded, whether state officials will be involved, or which jurisdictions might be the subject of the additional investigations officials reportedly mentioned.