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ISP says it’s making progress

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Illinois

* Press release…

To help ensure those who are prohibited by law from having a firearm, and who pose a threat, do not have guns in their possession, the Illinois State Police (ISP) conducted numerous firearm enforcement details in counties across the state from June 24 through July 19, 2024. The enforcement details focused on individuals who have become the subject of a Firearms Restraining Order or Clear and Present Danger, or received a criminal conviction, among other reasons.

“Firearms Restraining Orders and Clear and Present Danger reporting are two highly effective tools for getting firearms out of the hands of someone who poses a significant threat to themselves or others,” said Brendan F. Kelly. “As the use of these tools increases, so does the need for law enforcement to be able to safely conduct these arduous, intensive enforcement details.”

From July 2023 through June 2024, ISP received approximately 11,300 Clear and Present Danger reports, of which more than 10,800 were affirmed. While not all of those 10,800 individuals are out of compliance with state law, law enforcement is able to take action on those who are to bring them into compliance, thereby making communities safer.

During the recent ISP focused enforcement details, ISP officers completed 192 details and brought 673 people into compliance with state law. As a result of these efforts, 318 individuals transferred firearms out of their possession. ISP has been conducting firearm enforcement details since May 2019. From that time through July 2024, ISP has conducted 2,303 details and placed 5,549 individuals into compliance with the law.

In addition to its own efforts, ISP provides grants to local law enforcement agencies to help protect the public by transferring firearms out of the possession of a person legally prohibited from having a firearm and who is a danger to themselves or others.

In Fiscal Year 2024, ISP awarded almost $1 million in firearm enforcement grants to 16 law enforcement agencies across the state. During that time, local law enforcement agencies completed 7,048 compliance checks and brought 2,101 people into compliance with state law by transferring all firearms out of their possession and documenting that transfer with a Firearm Disposition Record. ISP awarded another $1.5 million in grants to 21 law enforcement agencies in Fiscal Year 2025.

* I followed up by asking how many firearms had been seized in Fiscal Year 2024, which ended June 30. ISP’s response…

A C&PD report is about homicidal or suicidal conduct. A firearm may or may not even be involved in the events that led to a report being submitted. An affirmation of the C&PD simply means that person is now prohibited from possessing a firearm, so if they attempt a purchase a firearm, they are denied. Some portion of the conduct could involve a firearm, but the subject may no longer possess any firearms after the C&PD report so there is nothing to seize or transfer.

Comparing the number of affirmed C&PD reports to the number of firearms transferred/seized does not provide an accurate picture of enforcement efforts related to C&PD reports.

In Fiscal Year 2024, ISP transferred or seized 812 firearms during its ISP blitz and quarterly ISP details. This does not include smaller details that occurred throughout the year. That firearm disposition data is not readily available.

In Fiscal Year 2024, law enforcement grantees seized or transferred 1,180 firearms during compliance checks. Other law enforcement agencies who have not applied for and received a firearm enforcement grant still conduct compliance checks. However, the number of firearms seized or transferred during those compliance checks is not reported to ISP.

To say there were 10,800 affirmed C&PD reports, but 1,992 firearms seized or transferred, without taking into account whether the subject of the C&PD report had a FOID or firearms, or may have already been in compliance, would be a misrepresentation of enforcement efforts. For example, of the affirmed reports, approximately 5,160 did not have a FOID card or application. A comprehensive analysis of the data has not been done at this time.

posted by Rich Miller
Tuesday, Aug 6, 24 @ 1:11 pm

Comments

You should be able to take the weapons to any gun shop and have them tag and hold them until an officer comes to pick them up. That’s first level after getting a call or letter, for people that are not going to fight the order. If you don’t surrender them voluntarily, next level is a housecall.

Comment by Give Us Barabbas Tuesday, Aug 6, 24 @ 1:20 pm
“In addition to its own efforts, ISP provides grants to local law enforcement agencies”

I believe taking this same approach came up in discussions here last week as a good way to implement such a program.

Joliet has a council meeting tonight where they will be voting on initiating this program and accepting the 50k in grant funding from the state.

Their website isn’t very user friendly, but here’s the link to a PDF of what such an agreement would look like.

https://joliet.legistar.com/gateway.aspx?M=F&ID=1245c9ba-9bd7-4859-a73c-a09713c50352.pdf

Comment by TheInvisibleMan Tuesday, Aug 6, 24 @ 1:34 pm
@ Give Us Barabbas

The first level after getting a call or a letter that your FOID card has been revoked is to follow existing law. The FOID card act section 9.5 lays out how a person must relinquish their firearms within 48 hours.

Comment by Legal Gun Owner Tuesday, Aug 6, 24 @ 1:39 pm
“You should be able to take the weapons to any gun shop and have them tag and hold them until an officer comes to pick them up.” Local gun shops are fewer in number with insurance costs and IL dealer licensing laws. The 1970s are over.

I’d like to see stats on how many gun seizures are carried out against cops and ex-cops. Willing to bet those stats are “not available at this time” from ISP or anyone else.

Comment by Elmer Keith Tuesday, Aug 6, 24 @ 3:03 pm
=== I’d like to see stats on how many gun seizures are carried out against cops and ex-cops. Willing to bet those stats are “not available at this time” from ISP or anyone else.===

Doubt anyone is tracking this.

Comment by Occasionally Moderated Tuesday, Aug 6, 24 @ 3:23 pm
Do not forget also just because someone has a FOID it does not necessarily mean that they own a gun too. With out a gun database we are “shooting” in the dark. This is also a reason that compliance checks are so dangerous. No way to know if there is one gun or 20 guns. Did the person surrender all weapons or just one or two to make it appear that they are in compliance.

Comment by just because Tuesday, Aug 6, 24 @ 3:38 pm
Illinois Clear and Present Danger looks to be in conflict with the Rahimi decision as well as JARKESY. No hearing, no due process before hand kangaroo court of appeals within the agency. . .

Comment by Todd Tuesday, Aug 6, 24 @ 5:45 pm