Illinois sheriffs and gun control

What do the Illinois sheriffs have to say about gun control? Does anyone know if Sheriff Nygren or Undersheriff Zinke attended the conference, was present during the vote on the Resolution, and voted? And, if so, in favor or against?

Illinois Sheriffs' Association

PRESS RELEASE

February 11, 2013

Springfield, IL. – The Illinois Sheriffs’ Association at their Winter Training Conference adopted the attached resolution which mirrors the National Sheriffs’ Association Resolution passed at their Mid-Winter Conference in Washington, D.C. Seventy-three Sheriffs were in attendance at the Illinois Conference held in Springfield. The Sheriffs also voted  unanimously not to support the proposed legislation House Bill 132 that bans certain weapons.

Sheriffs from across the state of Illinois believe that it is their responsibility and duty to uphold the Constitution including the Second Amendment. Rational law abiding citizens are not the cause of random acts of horrific violence in our communities. The focus should be primarily on the lack of mental health services in our country.

County jails continue to detain individuals who have been remanded to the Department of Human Service Mental Health Division for treatment.

On February 8th there were sixty-eight (68) of these individuals waiting for placement, some of which have been waiting for over four months. 

                                         RESOLUTION 2013-1 

WHEREAS, the elected Sheriff is recognized throughout the United States as the Chief local law enforcement officer and is directly accountable to the people through the electoral process; and

WHEREAS, all Sheriffs take an oath of office to enforce and defend the United States Constitution and State Constitution and laws; and

WHEREAS, a primary mission of Sheriffs is to ensure public safety; and

WHEREAS, gun safety is vitally important to our nation’s public health and the 3,080 Sheriffs of this nation; and

WHEREAS, the cause of violence, including gun violence, must be addressed on many fronts, including improved mental health treatment, media violence, drugs, gangs, breakdown of the family, strengthening laws that prevent or reduce the access of legally prohibited persons to firearms and vigorous enforcement of existing laws; and

WHEREAS, the Illinois Sheriffs’ Association represents the interest of all Sheriffs who are sworn to support and defend the United States Constitution; and

WHEREAS, Sheriffs strongly support our citizens’ protected right to bear arms under the Second Amendment and the Illinois Sheriffs’ Association does not support any laws that deprive any citizen of the rights provided under the Constitution and Bill of Rights; and

WHEREAS, the doctrine of judicial review grants to the United States Supreme Court and the lower courts the power to determine the constitutionality of any law and Sheriffs do not possess the legal authority to interpret the constitutionality of any law;

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, the Illinois Sheriffs’ Association supports the rights conferred by the Second Amendment and further recognizes the ultimate authority of the courts in interpreting the scope of those constitutional rights.