Todd Vandermyde gave me the lowdown last night and he posted some additional stuff this morning on where things are at with the Illinois State Police on the implementation of the new Firearms Concealed Carry Act.
What’s happening?
Todd says they’ve completely cut off communications with him. He was offering constructive criticism of some of their proposals, but the lawyers at Illinois State Police aren’t interested. Bless their hearts.
They – as a bunch of non-gun owners – think they know how to do this and they keep stepping in one pooh-filled hole after another. Furthermore, they don’t seem all that concerned because after all, they’ve satisfied the legal requirement that they *start* to approve instructors and courses by September 7th.
Well the people at the Illinois State Police started to feel the heat. They are now bantering big legal words as to why they “can’t” take constructive criticism from us: It’s ex parte communications.
Oh, for heaven’s sake.
We tried to assist them to help them avoid mistakes and get this show on the road, but they aren’t interested.
So we’ve turned to political and public pressure.
Guns Save Life urged friends and members to begin contacting legislators two days ago and we’re already seeing positive results from this. These legislators are calling the Illinois State Police and not all of them are going away with the standard, “we’re working as fast as we can” brush-off.
There’s also been some publicity in the mainstream media (believe it or not!) on how inept the Illinois State Police has been thus far.
Yesterday, there were some newspaper and radio reports.
UPDATE: Here’s the TV report…
On WCIA Channel 3 in Champaign, they had a wonderful story last night and today – including an interview with yours truly. The bottom line: If the state police are having real problems approving 1,000 instructors, what’s going to happen in January when they have a *quarter million* applications?
The reporter lambasted them for having approved less than two dozen of the thousand instructor applicants, including none in the last week.
So, ladies and gentlemen, keep calling your reps and senators. Tell them to dig a little deeper when they are brushed off with the old “we’re going as fast as we can” bravo sierra.
Today, Todd spoke with a couple of key politicians after they had returned from a trip and they were a little “concerned”. They realized ISP had fed them a shovel-full of used cow food before these men had left for their trip and they weren’t happy about it.
These reps, Costello and Phelps, are going to have a meeting with the ISP boys and girls before the end of the week.
Apparently, later in the morning, they sent Todd an update.
In short, the ISP plans to make a batch posting of at least a couple of hundred approved instructors, perhaps more, at the end of the month. They will also list approved courses at the same time.
The reason given for waiting another ten days before they do anything?
They don’t want to be accused of playing favorites among courses, instructors, etc.
UPDATE:
Just before lunch today, they added 15 instructors to their approved list.
So much for a batch update at the end of the month.
UPDATE #2
Video embedded and they added a 16th new name… the first instructor from the state of Missouri. That’ll help!
UPDATE #3:
Check this out!
They are up to 56!
>> If the state police are having real problems approving 1,000 >>instructors, what’s going to happen in January when they have a >>*quarter million* applications?
A suspicious man might think they had an interest in keeping the number of instructors – thus courses – thus Day 1 applicants down
naw not in IL …
Well, right now, with zero course approved, I all but guarantee the number of applicants is going to be approximately the number of people they have approved as instructors.
In other words, almost zero.
John
My outrage is at the people that put ISP in charge of this. We have seen them slow walk the Foid program , and now Phelps act surprised that they are doing this with conceal carry . Why wasn’t this stopped before it became a problem ?
I still think we got rolled.
I think it’s time to push for more court action as well.
To which members of the legislature would phone calls be most effective? I know “my guys” are on board, but am willing to call others. You recon Madigan might be one to take a call?
We need to keep a close eye on who they are approving. Are they holding up or losing the applications of 2nd Amendment rights activists and political leaders?
I contacted my legislators. Did you?
Time to take away the football so the monkey will stop screwing a “round”.
Rahm and the governor probably told the state cops to drag it out as long possible!
Senario. 1—– your a state cop. Have been on the force for 12 years. You know the ropes your happy with your job—- the way life is treating you and you. Are comfortable….. All of a sudded they are about to turn loose. Thousands. Of people Out there on your workplace with guns … You won’t be able not
Know who they are !!! Is the next person you. Stop going to be carrying a gun?? How are YOU going to react when you find that out. ??? Now you have a decision to make ..it’s not the same as it was. You don’t like to confront people with guns and your gonna put it off as long as you can. –“”–
Did you proofread your post before you posted it? I thought not. I am a permit-to-carry instructor in Minnesota and have carried a firearm as a LEO for over 40 years and I trust properly trained and armed civilians. Its all about the 2nd Amendment. If you’re a cop and paranoid & afraid of legally armed civilians, maybe you should reconsider your choice of profession.
Really….you need to proofread. Aside from your illegible typing…you are inferring that cops don’t need to be concerned about someone carrying a gun prior to enacting CCW. Riiiiight!!!! That makes sense because cops never come across folks with a gun in their possession prior to CCW. FYI…Cops approach ALL traffic stops as if the perp is packing. That the survival tactic that allows them to go home every evening. Why would law abiding folks carrying guns increase the risk to LEO’s?
wco ….. if you’re gonna correct people at least be correct yourself.
I’m sure you meant “implying.”
“Inferring” is WRONG in this context.
You’re welcome!
I think, Ken, that you inferred, and are implying. Honest, I do.
Implying works also, but I actually meant inferring. Are the “grammar police” or a government employee? You must be an attorney for the ISP. Get a dictionary, “to indicate something: to lead you necessarily to suppose or conclude something”.
Before you correct me again, I noticed I missed the word “you” in my second sentence. Maybe I deserve a detention.
Jackiev, police in every other state seem to handle this stuff quite adeptly (well, most of them…). What you’ve just said translates as “The ISP are incompetent”. So, I think maybe we agree on that….
Bob H. Hell no I didn’t sproof. Read. Don’t plan to…Good to know how great you are. .. I have been carrying now for about 68 years ( started as a lad ). I am not a cop but will consider changing jobs as you suggested, I am really getting tired of roofing anyway … To W C O. Yes I do admit to. Inelligable. Typing, I am not ( I don’t know that word ) to anything, ”’ just trying To understand “. — “”–
You finally found a government agency directed by political mouthpieces that’s better than the IRS with patroit non-profits approval system. The same agency with your OBAMAcareless processing.