CHICAGO (CBS) — A year after the state began allowing people to carry firearms in public in Illinois, Cook County Sheriff Tom Dart suggested some counties might not be as thorough in reviewing concealed carry applications as Cook County.
People who want a permit to carry a concealed weapon in Illinois must file an application with the Illinois State Police, but local law enforcement agencies may object to applications if they suspect someone poses a danger to public safety.
Of the nearly 24,000 people who applied for permits in Cook County last year, more than 1,100 were denied.
Dart said, despite getting no extra funding to do so, he has diverted personnel to check applications in Cook County.
“Many counties don’t object to anything or anybody. Many entities don’t. We just took it very seriously,” Dart said.
