MIDDLETOWN, CT — The Justice Department opened an investigation Thursday, Oct. 22, 2026, into firearm permitting in Middletown and Waterbury; Middletown police confirmed they received notice in a release.
The DOJ’s Civil Rights Division announced the investigation in a press release dated Oct. 22, 2026. Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon heads the division. The probe focuses on the Middletown and Waterbury police departments’ permitting systems and will determine whether the cities unnecessarily delay firearm permits.
DOJ Has Not Reached a Conclusion
The DOJ said the departments may be unreasonably denying qualified applicants who seek permits to carry firearms, requiring them to pursue appeals that could last years. It also pointed to the Supreme Court’s 2022 Bruen ruling on permits to carry a gun.
Police Chief Erik Costa said in an Oct. 23 release that the department “takes this matter seriously” and will be open with federal investigators and cooperate with them. Separately, the department said established procedures will guide its work as it fulfills duties under applicable state and federal law.
The DOJ’s notice letters say federal officials “have not reached any conclusions.” The department says it will notify the cities when the investigation is complete and close the case if it finds no pattern or practice of violations.