In Illinois, a concerning issue has come to light regarding the ownership of firearms. Data presented by the Cook County sheriff reveals that 114,000 individuals are prohibited from owning guns due to legal or mental health reasons. Shockingly, three-quarters of these individuals have not surrendered their firearms as required by law.
Sheriff Tom Dart is urging state lawmakers to allocate $10 million to address what he terms as 'A Firearm Regulation Crisis.' The proposed funds would be used to train and equip more officers to retrieve or ensure the safe storage of weapons from those who have had their Firearm Owners Identification cards revoked.
The primary goal of this initiative is to reduce the risk posed by potentially volatile individuals, as highlighted by past tragic incidents such as the Henry Pratt Co. massacre in a Chicago suburb.
Currently, there are 2.42 million FOID card holders in Illinois. These cards are rescinded when individuals are convicted of felonies, have restraining orders against them, face mental health issues, or are deemed dangerous by authorities. Despite being notified to surrender their weapons, a significant number of individuals fail to comply.
The report by Sheriff Dart indicates that out of the 114,000 revoked FOID card holders, approximately 84,000 have not accounted for surrendering their weapons. This noncompliance has had devastating consequences, as seen in incidents like the Aurora shooting in 2019.
Efforts to address this issue have been ongoing, with the formation of specialized units and allocation of funds for enforcement teams. However, the backlog of unaccounted weapons remains a pressing concern.
Legislation is being proposed to increase fees on firearm purchases to support enforcement measures. Lawmakers are working towards finding solutions to ensure that revoked FOID card holders comply with the law and prevent further tragedies.
