(WBBM NEWSRADIO) -- More than a dozen federal, state and county officials today called on the sheriff of DuPage County to reverse his position not to enforce portions of the state’s new ban on assault weapons.
Suburban Congressman Sean Casten on Monday said Sheriff James Mendrick should either agree to have his office comply with the new law -- or quit.
“The sheriff’s position is dangerous and it is also unconstitutional,” he said.
Mendrick earlier this month said his office would not be enforcing a provision of the law that he says would see his deputies checking to see if gun owners were registering weapons. Mendrick said he wouldn’t have the manpower on his department to do that.
The new law – already facing numerous lawsuits – bans the sale of certain assault-style weapons and high-capacity magazines in Illinois; guns acquired legally before the law are grandfathered in.
Casten said the sheriff’s stance could “invite illegal gun traffickers to DuPage County confident in the knowledge that the sheriff said that ‘If you come here and violate the law, I will look the other way.’”
State Rep. Anne Stava-Murray says nothing in the law calls on Mendrick’s deputies to go door-to-door checking for assault weapons.
“What we’re really talking about is our sheriff taking a very extreme position, willfully misunderstanding the law, creating strawman arguments to not enforce the law,” said the 81st District state representative.
Mendrick issued a statement on social media later Monday that accused the elected officials of twisting his words. He said his office will always enforce gun laws in the context of a criminal offense, such as domestic violence.
DuPage County Board member Mary Ozog encouraged people to submit statements with their feelings about Sheriff Mendrick before this week’s DuPage County Board meeting.
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