A hello to arms: More in Hudson Valley get handgun permits – In the six Hudson Valley counties north of New York City, 14,293 people received handgun permits in the last five years. Crime has plummeted throughout the state over the last several years — and fear of crime has waned — but many thousands of people in New York still apply for and receive gun permits. Over the past five years, more than 99,000 handgun permits were issued in New York State, according to the New York State Police Pistol Permit Bureau. Individuals apply for permits through their home counties, not through the state police, but the Pistol Permit Bureau is charged with keeping the records.