"Waiting Room"

[stayloe101st]

I got one of those letters. Its now 148 days. Got a response form the Governors office last week that said the acting head of DPS is looking into the matter. What troubles me is I live 100 inland from the coast. I know NCIC and TCIC checks take about 2 minutes. I called yesterday to ask does DPS ever follow up on apps that have been waiting for a while to insure that the paper work for the back ground checks aren’t lost? The lady on the phone basically could not answer the question. I asked her what agency was doing the back ground check and she tells me I can’t tell you that. What a joke! Its time for DPS to stop blaming the Hurricane for their lack of support people processing these apps.

[Jake]

The DPS received my packet 8/14/08. Shortly thereafter I received a letter indicating that I needed another fingerprint card. (The instructor thought I was a renewal)... I got the second card back to them within a day or two then I received the IKE Letter. I have requested status several times but all I get from Customer service is the background investigation is in progress ( has been since 9/11/08) and they cannot give me an estimate of when it might be completed. I think this response is akin to the Insurance Industry's "Your check is in the mail". Since a number of applicants have recommended contacting a state repfor assistance I contacted the Govenor's office last Thursday.They have requested a status from the Interim Director. We'll see if that helps.

[pdubyoo]

Since a number of applicants have recommended contacting a state repfor assistance I contacted the Govenor's office last Thursday.They have requested a status from the Interim Director. We'll see if that helps.

Jake, I hope you get further with them than I have. I contacted the Gov's office for the 3rd time this morning. The first two times, I got the same boiler-plate letter you did, and many others as well. I don't want to discourage you, but I don't want you to have false hope like I did either. This last letter to the Gov's office was not so nice. I'm frustrated that I'm caught in this bureaucratic vacuum. Molasses County (Harris County) needs to be called to task on this...whether it's a DPS office or Sherriff's office or whoever. The Gov's office has been as lack-luster as Molasses County. Unfortunately, my district rep hasn't been much better.

There's one individual from the October thread that just had a 38-day turn-around!!! He certainly doesn't reside in Molasses County.

[Jake]

pdubyoo,

I'm in Montgomery County which doesn't seem any better than Harris... I received the same "Dede Keith letter" from the Govenor's office that everyone else has received. I had hoped that by going to the top I would get a better/quicker response. It looks like I figured wrong... If I were the interim director I think I would try to improve the service of the CHL department so that I could become the permanent director.

[stayloe101st]

I gave up on the letters to the State Rep and Govenors office, I had better luck email DPS. My last letter to them was not so nice then all off the sudden "Bam" the back ground check is compelete. Makes you wonder what the real truth is behind all of this. I prefer emails over phone calls because I can show proof in emails of whats been said.

[Tireshred]

I just finished the class yesterday with Charles (great instructor by the way) and sent the packet by certified mail today, after reading these posts I'm feeling a bit down, I figured 60 days tops, but now I see that's probably not going to happen. I am depressed...

Jimmy

[Keith B]

I just finished the class yesterday with Charles (great instructor by the way) and sent the packet by certified mail today, after reading these posts I'm feeling a bit down, I figured 60 days tops, but now I see that's probably not going to happen. I am depressed...

Jimmy

Welcome to the forum Jimmy. Have hope, there have been some folks that have gotten their license in <60 days lately. You just never know.

Until then, enjoy the forum. There are a lot of knowledgeable folks on here and plenty of past and present posts to provide you plenty of food for thought!

Regards,

[Tireshred]

Thanks Keith, I'm trying to take in as much as I can when I can, as Charles and you said, if you have a question on CHL's, this is the place to be.

Jimmy

[Nintao]

As I stated previously after contacting 4 state reps, I got my CHL within a few days of contacting them. I keep getting follow-up letters from them even now!

[Tireshred]

I think I have to wait at least a month or so before pursuing that though, I appreciate the heads up and will do that when the time comes.

[Broncrider]

Well, it looks like I'm joining the rest of you here in the waiting room.

CHL timeline
class 15 Nov 08
paperwork in Austin 20 Nov 08
status 3 Dec 08 packet mailed to applicant

Broncrider

[Morgan]

Be sure to stop in the Class of November 08 thread. LOL We're racing. ;)

[Jake]

I reviewed several prior post and noted that many successful applicants had written to State Representative Joe Driver for assistance. So, I took a shot (pardon the pun) and wrote to Representative Driver last weekend even though I am not one of his constituents.. Much to my surprise, I received a call today from a representative of the House Law Enforcement Commission. She advised that the DPS farms out the background investigations to local law enforcement and that Counties Harris and Brazoria are particularly backlogged. She related that unfortunately applications are being processed not necessarily in the order in which they were received.. (We already knew that) The good news.... after 113 days... she advised that my application should be completed within a week. We'll see... Kudos to Representative Driver!

[pdubyoo]

I reviewed several prior post and noted that many successful applicants had written to State Representative Joe Driver for assistance. So, I took a shot (pardon the pun) and wrote to Representative Driver last weekend even though I am not one of his constituents.. Much to my surprise, I received a call today from a representative of the House Law Enforcement Commission. She advised that the DPS farms out the background investigations to local law enforcement and that Counties Harris and Brazoria are particularly backlogged. She related that unfortunately applications are being processed not necessarily in the order in which they were received.. (We already knew that) The good news.... after 113 days... she advised that my application should be completed within a week. We'll see... Kudos to Representative Driver!

Jake, it's interesting that they told you that the BC's are farmed out to local law enforcement in Harris County. See my posts in the September Applications thread from this week. I contacted my Rep (Debbie Riddle) last week. Her Chief of Staff contacted DPS in Harris County and I rec'd a call from a Texas Highway Patrol Leut. first thing Monday morning. He told me that the lady that handles the CHL BC's was out of the office, but he would find out what he could. Through discussion, I found out that there is ONE single person within DPS-Harris County that processes the BC's for CHL. That's her full-time job. Since she's also a Trooper, she was re-assigned to hurricane duty for 5-6 weeks immediately following the storm. Can't process any BC's that way. That's why there's a backlog. DPS still hasn't allocated any temporary manpower to assist in eliminating the backlog. I asked my Rep to start campaigning for the DPS director to allocate more resources in HC...at least temporarily. You might want to pass that information along to your Rep as well. I don't think it was a coincidence that my BC suddenly got processed. I think I may have gotten to close to the truth. It's certainly not "first in-first out". Good Luck!

-pdubyoo

[seamusTX]

This is valuable information, and I think by now it has been seen by people who can put it to some use. Thanks for posting it.

The constituents of a state representative or senator can get better responses than someone who is not a constituent. This is what they call retail politics.

- Jim