It turns out that much of the map that has completely enraged residents in Westchester and Rockland counties is probably wrong, according to the county clerk for Rockland County.
The Journal News, a Gannett-owned newspaper in Westchester, N.Y., published a map last month showing the names and addresses of licensed gun owners in Westchester and Rockland counties.
And now Rockland County Clerk Paul Piperato is going on the offensive, saying a good chunk of the News' map is inaccurate, the Rockland County Times reported last week.
“I’d figure about 25 percent of the addresses are not accurate,” Piperato said. “This is no way to sell newspapers. I want to demand the Journal News get that map and that list off their website.”
It's not clear whether he was referring to just Rockland County or Westchester as well, but Piperato said the inaccuracies are caused by people moving or dying.
And while such changes are supposed to be reported to the county clerk's office, Piperato told the Times his staff doesn't have the ability to strictly enforce this regulation.
The map has caused so much controversy that the News has gotten threats, including envelopes containing suspicious white powder. The paper has even posted armed guards at its headquarters.
The public outcry has also prompted clerks of all 62 counties in New York to declare their support for legislation that would tighten public information laws in regards to gun permit information, Piperato said.
That legislation comes from State Sen. Greg Ball and Assemblyman Steve Katz, both Republicans, who have announced they want a law making any information about handgun permits confidential.
But, for all its controversy, the map has also caused a huge spike in gun permits in Rockland County, the Times reported Monday.
Piperato told the Times about 50 people have applied for gun permits since the map was published about two weeks ago.
Normally, the clerk's office would only receive around 15 permit applications in the same time span.
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