About 100 Concealed Carry Permits Denied Based On Objections
(STMW) -- A state licensing board has rejected about half of the concealed carry applications it has reviewed based on law enforcement objections — but those applications represent a tiny fraction of the total number filed.
The seven-member Concealed Carry Licensing Board has sustained about 100 objections, denying permits to those people, said Monique Bond, spokeswoman for the Illinois State Police. The board has overruled about 100 other objections, allowing those applications to move forward, Bond said.
About 50,000 people have applied for permits, and about 5,000 have been approved, according to the state police. The approved permits are expected to arrive in the mail this week, officials say.
State police and local law enforcement officials can object to giving someone a permit based on the criminal history of the applicant. Cook County Sheriff Tom Dart has filed hundreds of objections, citing arrests for domestic violence, burglary, theft, gang activity and crimes involving drugs and guns.
The licensing board has 30 days from the date an objection is raised to review an application and make a decision. Under the concealed carry law, which took effect in early January, the panel can find applicants ineligible to obtain permits if a "preponderance of the evidence" shows they're a danger to themselves or the public.
(Source: Sun-Times Media Wire © Chicago Sun-Times 2014. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.)
