Law enforcement officials have had the chance to object to permits for certain individuals as concealed-carry weapons licenses have been delivered to mailboxes across the state of Illinois. Permits issued by the Illinois State Police have been quickly challenged by officials further north, while Central Illinois officials have seen little reason to do so. “It’s just a different culture here, as compared to what you’d find up north,” stated Decatur Police Department Sgt. Chris Copeland.
State police have received 1,974 objections from law enforcement agencies across the state as of Monday, with about half of those coming from the Cook County Sheriff’s Office. In comparison, 42,407 licenses that have been granted since Illinois first began approving licenses earlier this year. Of those issued, 699 active concealed-carry licenses have been sent to Macon County residents as of Monday, with another 290 under the 30-day waiting period for individual objections. Only nine applicants have been denied, according to a state police spokesperson. While the process is mostly handled by the state police, the law does allow objections for local officials for what it calls “reasonable suspicion” that an applicant is dangerous, even if his or her background would not automatically trigger denial of the applications. Those objections, as well as those from individuals denied a permit, can be reviewed by the state’s Concealed Carry Review Board. The board does not hear all requests.
