Governor Pritzker’s so-called Protect Illinois Communities Act required existing owners register their defensive semi-auto, magazine-fed rifles and other defensive firearms by December 31st.
Given the non-compliance rate of 99%, clearly there are potentially millions of banned guns out there still unregistered.
Got one?
Will police knock on your door? That’s very unlikely. Unless of course someone phoned in a “tip” that you’ve got banned guns that remain unregistered. Got a vindictive former spouse or former romantic partner? Maybe you have a “woke” family member or neighbor who viscerally hates guns, gun owners and anyone who doesn’t want to bow down and kiss Gov. Pritzker’s feet as our Lord and Savior. They might just drop a dime on you.
How do you handle police at the door when you didn’t call them for service? We’ve covered it repeatedly the past few issues of GunNews. It’s easy: Don’t talk to the police. Don’t answer any questions. Don’t consent to searches and we’ll tell you why…
First and foremost, nothing you say or do can help prove your innocence in court. But anything you say can and will be used against you at trial.
So you know why it’s important to not talk with the police, to answer questions or consent to any searches, but…
What if someone else answers your home’s front door?
What happens if a well-trained, slick-talking Illinois State Police investigator chats up your spouse or children at the door?
Will your spouse or child unwittingly say something that might later be used against you in a court of law? Even worse, would they maybe consent to a search thinking either (a) police officers are their friends and/or (b) your family has nothing to hide?
Remember, that LEO has undergone countless hours of training and has conducted thousands of “interviews.” Cops call them “interviews” because that’s so much less intimidating than calling them by what they really are: interrogations.
How do you educate your family about how to protect their rights while interacting with police? Pull up the YouTube video from Regent University Law Professor James Duane entitled, “Don’t talk to the police.”
PRO-TIP: Sit the whole family down to watch that video. Popcorn is optional. It’s entertaining and incredibly educational. (See his follow-up video “You have the right to remain innocent” as well.)
Emphasize with your family that what your family has when it comes to guns is not open for discussion to anyone but close friends in the proper environment.
It’s sort of like educating your family about not asking you if you’re wearing your gun while you’re out in public.
Along those lines, educate everyone not to be afraid to answer the door if police knock. They may have important information. But if it’s a criminal investigation, like asking about whether you’ve registered some guns (or not registered some guns) decline to make any statements then ask them to leave.
This goes for minor children too. Do you think for a moment that an overzealous investigator with orders to get results would decline accepting a consent to search from a minor living there when mom and dad aren’t nearby? Even if the search gets tossed (and it may not, depending on circumstances), your pals at ISP are still gonna keep your confiscated stuff.
Make sure everyone there knows to just say “no!”
Teach everyone in your home to protect their right against self-incrimination, even accidentally.
Tell investigating cops that you can’t speak with them without an attorney and to leave.
Very important advice. It is now only myself and my wife, but she has been clearly instructed on protocol for dealing with police coming to the door and we periodically discuss this possibility as well. This is doubly important if you have ‘woke’ neighbors who are so scared of guns that they would be the type to call the police if they see you even handling a gun inside your house looking through your window. Think that doesn’t happen? Be VERY careful around neighbors unless you trust them implicitly. There are plenty of snitches with cell phones out there that live to play Karen. Protect yourself at all times, and NEVER open yourself up for a brandishing charge even on your own property.
badge-dindus will probably be safe if they stay 25′ away, hands empty & in sight, don’t reach or talk into their negrophones
ARTICLE CORRECTION: This is the Illinois State Police’s “Protect Illinois Communities Act.” As mentioned dozens and dozens and dozens of times, once the General Assembly passes a bill and the governor signs it making it a law, a state agency then takes over the issue. Calling this Pritzker’s gun ban or PICA is misleading and provides cover to the politically abusive agency called the Illinois State Police who are the ones inflicting the actual harm on Illinoisans. The partisan slant and apologetic behavior to the foot soldiers for the gun control industry is NOT helping us one damn bit. Why not make up excuses for Mom’s Demand Action, Giffords, Everytown and the like while you’re at it. We desperately need the Gun Owners of America to set up shop in Illinois because every “pro-gun” organization in the state either helps write gun control laws, negotiates our rights away or provides political cover to the ones imposing the gun control on us. Illinois gun owners should rethink where we make our donations to. Thank you very much.
This. NRA has sucked for years and doesn’t give a damn about any gun case that isn’t a slam-dunk, and even then only those that have a profile that can enrich their leadership. ISRA is a dumpster fire organization. The only national gun rights organizations I trust are GOA and SAF at this time. I have not donated jack to NRA for years – my money goes to the aforementioned two groups, who seem to actually support pro-gun rights instead of sucking around for sound bytes and money for nothing.
LiberalsRCancer you are spot on!
Easier said than done with some kids both very young and College age kids coming home from Liberal indoctrination