Staff Reports
In Illinois, the clock is ticking as the deadline to register banned firearms and magazines with the Illinois State Police is fast approaching. But hold your horses, folks, because it seems like some local law enforcement agencies ain’t rushing to make this their top priority.
The ban was put in place back in January, and it’s got folks ruffled up about not being able to snag certain semi-automatic firearms and magazines with big capacities. To top it off, the deadline to register these items is January 1st, and if you miss the boat, you could be facing some serious misdemeanor or felony charges. Yikes!
Some Illinois law enforcement say enforcing gun ban violations not a priority https://t.co/ALAlId5SsI via @thecentersquare
— Bishop On Air (@BishopOnAir) November 29, 2023
Now, let’s talk numbers. Out of the 2.4 million Firearm Owner’s ID card holders in Illinois, only a tiny 0.18% have bothered to register a banned item with the Illinois State Police. It’s like they’re saying, “Nah, we’ll pass on that one, thanks!”
But wait, there’s more! The Illinois State Police are singing a different tune, saying they’ll enforce the Protecting Illinois Communities Act, and they’ve even got a fancy-schmancy Violent Crime Intelligence Task Force to help out.
But hold onto your hats because it looks like enforcement might not be at the tippity top of the to-do list for local law enforcement. McHenry County State’s Attorney Patrick Kenneally is even suing to challenge the law, calling it unconstitutional. He’s all like, “We’ll follow the law, but hey, we’ve got other fish to fry, ya know?”
Kankakee County Sheriff Mike Downey is also sounding the alarm, saying his deputies ain’t about to go knocking on folks’ doors to confiscate their precious firearms. He’s like, “We are not doing door-to-door visits, no siree!”
And guess what – he’s not the only one! There are 102 county state’s attorneys and sheriffs in Illinois, and most of them are giving this gun ban law the cold shoulder, saying they’re not gonna enforce it. It’s like a big, “Not in my backyard!” response from the law enforcement community.
So, there you have it, folks. The deadline is looming, but it looks like some of Illinois’ finest aren’t exactly chomping at the bit to enforce this controversial gun ban law. Will they or won’t they? Only time will tell!
