Last Friday’s shooting at the Henry Pratt Company in Aurora spotlights an effort in Kane County to track Firearm Owner Identification card revocations.
The sheriff's office is pushing for a new electronic database that could go live as soon as next week.
Until now—Kane County Sheriff Ron Hain— says his department didn’t have a way to follow up on who complied.
"Now, we will be tracking it electronically and putting some teeth behind it," he said.
Months before his own deputies responded to last Friday’s shooting to assist Aurora police—Hain says an electronic database was his top priority.
The six month pilot program is set to go live on March 1.
After the state notifies the sheriff’s department— Kane County will now issue a letter to an individual who doesn't surrender their firearms within the state mandated 48 hour time frame. If contact still isn’t made— a deputy will be dispatched to the home.
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"We’re merely hoping that by a uniformed presence at their front door, reinforcing that we’re aware of the revocation, will have some sort of impact on them," Hain said. "Even on the hardest case."
In the case of the Aurora gunman— this program wouldn’t have applied to him— because the sheriff’s office only has jurisdiction in unincorporated areas of Kane County.
But—Hain hopes others will adopt it. Although the state revoked his FOID card— no one followed up to make sure he complied.
"I would like to see cooperation on a unified front between law enforcement and the courts to make sure we’re communicating on the severity of each issue, case by case," Hain said.
Even if a deputy shows up at the door— a warrant would have to be issued to obtain the firearms if the owner refused to give them up.
Carrying firearms without a valid FOID card is a misdemeanor.
“It’s probably going to happen again here in Kane county," Hain said. "If there’s any steps that we can take to begin mitigating any future violence, let’s put everything in play."
