AFAIK, the law does NOT require a letter of intent. [This may have changed for 1st issue now, but certainly not required on renewals.]
Under "suitability" a chief may require pretty much anything he wants to, it is a discretionary license, so his word is "law". Thus we have literally 351 different sets of rules on what it takes to get a LTC!:-?
Many chiefs require such letters, letters from MDs stating that you are mentally fit to own/carry a gun, range tests, special courses only given by their PD (in addition to the state mandated class), extra fees, etc. :sad:
If you are friends with your chief, just ask him! Simple as that. That's what my Wife and I did initially some 27 and 29 years ago, respectively. I had to provide a letter from my employer (that was fun . . .NOT), yet he told my WIfe she didn't need that (good thing too, she was a school teacher back then). BTW, we were friends with our chief and his wife too, so he knew us very well by the time my Wife applied.