Los Angeles County Sheriff Alex Villanueva has said that his department plans to expand concealed weapons permits, citing a surge in violent crime in the area. The sheriff in a video on Wednesday promised to lower the “good cause” standard required to obtain a carry permit. He added, however, that he doesn’t intend make the area a “shall issue” region. In explaining his plans, Villanueva said that last month, Los Angeles county saw a 95 percent rise in murders, a 7 percent jump in rape cases, an increase of 13 percent in aggravated assaults, a 22 percent increase in arson incidents, and a 40 percent uptick in grand theft auto compared to May last year. “We’ve increased our capacity to process CCW permits,” the sheriff said. “We made the ‘good cause’ standard achievable, and we’re recognizing that the threat to the residents is increasing, so we’re responding accordingly.” The sheriff in …