(RoyalPatriot.com )- Just days after Illinois’ assault weapons ban went into effect, the implementation of the law hit a roadblock when at least 74 county sheriffs publicly vowed to defy it.
The law bans so-called “assault weapons” as well as high-capacity magazines and switches.
But sheriffs throughout the state have vowed not to check if weapons are registered with the state, nor will they jail individuals who are arrested solely for not complying with the law.
As the number of defiant sheriff’s offices increased, Illinois Democrat Governor J.B. Pritzker vowed last week to make sure those sheriffs who failed to “do their job” will be out of a job.
Last Wednesday, the Illinois Sheriffs’ Association released a statement expressing continued opposition to the law. Meanwhile, dozens of sheriff’s offices began posting nearly identical statements promising not to do compliance checks or arrest those who don’t comply.
Among the sheriffs who posted the message is DuPage County Sheriff James Mendrick. With a population of more than 920,000, DuPage is the largest county to defy the law so far.
According to ABC News, at least 59 sheriffs issued the nearly identical statement. In total, ABC found at least 74 county sheriffs who said they would not use resources to enforce elements of the law. This impacts almost 4 million Illinois residents, or 30 percent of the state’s population.
The sheriff’s offices from the most populous counties in Illinois, aside from DuPage, namely Cook, Lake, and Will Counties, have not issued any statement opposing the law.
Jim Kaitschuk, the executive director of the Illinois Sheriffs’ Association said he did not believe sheriffs have an obligation to check compliance with the law or jail offenders, arguing that the bill signed by Governor Pritzker does not mandate sheriffs to do so.
Regarding Pritzker’s threat to fire any sheriff that defies the law, Kaitschuk told ABC News that he isn’t aware of “any provision that provides the governor that opportunity.”
