It's been nearly a month since Illinois State Police began sending out concealed-carry permits. Thousands of applicants have been approved. But some have also been denied. When an Illinois resident turns in their concealed-carry application, it's not just the state police making sure the person poses no threat. Local law enforcement agencies have the right to file an objection, based on the person's criminal history. A review board then has 30 days to make a decision on that objection.
Numbers provided by state police officials show that of the tens of thousands of applications submitted so far, nearly 270 have been ultimately denied because of concerns raised by local police. That number represents a tiny fraction of the nearly 14,000 active permits in the state.
Some law enforcement officials, namely Cook County Sheriff Tom Dart, had expressed concern that they wouldn't have the proper resources to cross-check all of the names on the application list. But a spokesman for the Illinois Police Association says they haven't heard any grumbling from local agencies since the program began.