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Dart Demands Access To State Database To Conduct Concealed Carry Screening

CHICAGO (CBS) -- The Sheriff of Cook County says he's being excluded from a database he needs to do effective concealed carry screening.

Dart Demands Access To State Database

Sheriff Tom Dart expects one-third to one-half of the 360,000 FIOD card holders will apply for concealed carry permits after January 5 and he'll only have a month to object or recommend further screening.

Dart says he's being excluded from using the state's leads system that has information that could help.

"State Police has in front of them all of the criminal background records. So they would have information that I don't have showing an arrest for gun possession, arrest for domestic violence."

Sheriff Dart wants access to the state's leads background check system. He says without it he has neither the time nor staff to screen concealed-carry applicants to the level he feels necessary in Cook County.

State Police Director Hiram Grau, whose department will be scrutinizing applicants' backgrounds, but prohibited by federal law from sharing the data, pledged to work with Dart.

"I can understand the concerns that he has. We'll work through them," said Grau.

But the NRA believes Dart is simply seeking to delay something the US Supreme Court ordered the Illinois State legislature to do.

"Sheriff Dart seems to want to run his own background check and his own system outside the system," said NRA spokesman Todd Vandermyde.

Chicago Police Superintendent Garry McCarthy has similar concerns about having just 30 days to uncover something in an applicants background that state police may have missed. he too working on a way to change it.

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