That's true. The sheriff is setting the general guidelines for the process. However from what I've seen there's ample opportunity for an individual officer to impact the outcome of an application. The sheriff's deputies are the ones performing interviews and making determinations regarding someone's "good cause", "moral character", etc. I think pretty much any bureaucracy gives individual bureaucrats ample opportunity to let their own personal beliefs influence their decision making.

Things like the push for 2A Sanctuary Cities may be pandering, but I think it wouldn't be happening if the cops in question were strongly against civilian ownership of firearms.