Moms Demand Action presenter cites sharp rise in concealed-carry approvals in Passaic County and urges secure-storage education

Toby Murphy, public education co‑lead for the New Jersey chapter of Moms Demand Action, told the Passaic County Board of County Commissioners that approved concealed‑carry permit applications in the county have risen substantially in the past four years and urged county officials to expand secure‑storage education and outreach.

Murphy said there have been 4,913 approved concealed‑carry applications in Passaic County in the past four years, compared with 45 approvals before the Supreme Court decision she referenced. She also cited municipal counts reported by the Office of the Attorney General: 636 approvals in Patterson, 290 in Hawthorne and 56 in West Milford, and said those numbers can be found on the attorney general’s website. "Be SMART fosters conversations on gun safety, not gun control," Murphy said, describing the framework’s components as Secure, Model, Ask, Recognize and Tell.

Murphy recommended countywide distribution of pamphlets in English and Spanish, presentations to stakeholder groups including the sheriff's department and chambers of commerce, tabling at county events, and identification of sensitive places for posting attorney‑general decals that designate gun‑free spaces.

Commissioners asked staff whether data are available that compare incidents involving people who hold concealed‑carry permits and incidents involving unlicensed firearms. The administrator said staff can locate those numbers and that the information can be emailed to the commissioners. One commissioner also noted an active‑shooter drill the county conducted with the judiciary and Sheriff Adamo, calling the drill "alarming" and underscoring ongoing safety concerns.

Murphy framed the presentation as public‑education work to reduce deaths and injuries: "Conversations, not silence," she said. The board did not take formal action on Murphy’s recommendations but asked staff to find comparative data requested by commissioners.