Peoria a Possible Pilot City for Concealed Carry in Illinois

In the midst of opposition from Chicago legislators, Peoria Mayor Jim Ardis and local officials are touting the benefits of concealed carry for Peoria.

It’s an issue that has embarked controversy for years, sparking concerns among some local citizens and raising eyebrows at town hall meetings. Lauded by most Republicans and questioned by some Democrats who speculate whether carrying hidden weapons on one’s person in public places falls within the scope of Second Amendment rights, concealed carry is now once again up for debate among its supporters and dissenters in the heart of Illinois.

Gauging Public Support

Carrying a concealed weapon (CCW) is by definition the legal authorization for private citizens to carry a handgun or other weapon in public in a concealed manner, either on the person or in close proximity to the person. Although the Second Amendment provides for states to have concealed carry licensing that permits concealed carry weapons, the amendment also provides for states to have laws prohibiting concealed carry weapons.

Proponents for concealed carry argue that allowing people to carry a weapon would make families feel safer and discourage crime, deterring potential criminals from attacking individuals they suspect of being armed. Opponents, on the other hand, believe CCW could backfire in the form of unnecessary violence against suspects who are actually harmless.

Illinois, Wisconsin, and the District of Columbia do not have any form of concealed carry licensing. Presently, Illinois allows for open carry only in rural areas subject to county restriction.

Mayor Jim Ardis would like Springfield to pass legislation allowing Peoria to create an ordinance for local citizens to participate in concealed carry. He is interested in gauging public support on the issue. The mayor’s announcement regarding concealed carry in Peoria came almost the same day that a gas station attendant was shot and killed in the East Bluff. A shot was also fired during a robbery on the Newman Golf Course.

The mayor says his desire to create concealed carry legislation for Peoria did not originate from any single incident but was an idea that had been in the works for some time.

“I’d been discussing the idea previously with Representative Schock—now Congressman Schock—and kind of had to pick it up with Senator Risinger. We’ve been kickin’ (the idea) around for a long time.”

The ordinance would provide for a three- to four-year test to determine if concealed carry reduces the amount of gun violence in Peoria. The mayor does believe concealed carry legislation will help reduce gun crime in the city.

“I know some Chicago legislators have initially been opposed to it, but I’m confident that with the right information lawmakers from Chicago would at least want to look at allowing (concealed carry) in other areas of the state.”

Although some Peoria citizens worry that allowing locals to carry concealed weapons may increase the amount of gun crime in the city, Ardis assures speculators any concealed carry ordinance would be built upon pillars of responsibility and restrictions.

“Obviously a person would have to apply to get a license, take a gun control course and pass, not violate the (concealed carry) laws, and stick to it,” he says. “We have very good models out there from other states who have allowed concealed carry. If we modified (the program) at all we would only make it more strict. There’s no guesswork with how it’s put together because other states are already doing it.”

The mayor also promises strict penalties for any citizen who would misuse the right to conceal a weapon.

“Many of the other states that have allowed concealed carry (enforce penalties) with a strong stick for citizens who would abuse that privilege,” he says. “Most (states) have penalties such as a stiff jail sentence without probation on a first-time offense. The length of that sentence would probably vary. There’s a lot of information out there on what other communities have done. It’s not like we’re going into this blindfolded. We have a good idea of what needs to be done and how we want to do it.”

The mayor acknowledges that passing concealed carry legislation in Springfield will be “a challenge” but claims strong support should help legislators see the need for concealed carry.

“I think it’s gonna be a lot of work,” he says, “but hopefully if Chicago legislators see that our community and our local law enforcement is behind it they’ll give us the approval to give it a try.”

From Midwest to East Coast

The mayor’s support extends to the East Coast with an advocate in U.S. Representative Aaron Schock. Heralding his 100 percent voting record with the National Rifle Association, Schock has long been a supporter of concealed carry, pushing unsuccessfully for gun legislation for years as a state representative.

A spokesman for Congressman Schock claims: “Although the congressman deals with concealed carry on a federal level, he does support it for the state (of Illinois). The congressman is a strong supporter of Second Amendment rights, and he supports Peoria serving as a test city for that law.”

State Senator Dale Risinger (R-Peoria) is in full support of the mayor’s proposal. “I think (concealed carry) should be statewide,” he says, “but I don’t think we’ll be able to get it statewide, so I think we should work on getting it for the city.”

Risinger says he believes Mayor Ardis’s proposal is a worthwhile venture. “Illinois is only one of two states that don’t have concealed carry laws,” he says. “I think concealed carry will help prevent crime because the states that have passed concealed carry laws have shown a reduced crime rate. I don’t believe concealed carry will make things more dangerous, and the facts don’t show that.”

Senator Risinger believes several things need to happen before concealed carry legislation is passed. “We’re gonna have to get together with the mayor and other legislators to see exactly where the support is (in the General Assembly) and to find out what type of legislation needs to be passed to make this happen.”

The state senator suspects background checks and mandatory training programs will need to be in place in order to get legislation approved. Risinger believes licenses for carrying guns should be issued by none other than local officials. He claims rules banning concealed carry in schools, libraries, and government buildings would also need to be mandatory.

“We’d need to make sure all the proper restrictions are in place,” he says.

State Representative David Leitch (R-Peoria) says he would support the mayor’s pilot project.

“I think the mayor is trying to innovate to solve a problem and wants to try this out,” he says. “I think he’s looking to solve a difficult issue. We might as well see if this works.”

Leitch cites the benefits of concealed carry, noting that CCW has helped prevent crime in other states. “But I don’t think anyone will know for sure (if concealed carry will help decrease crime locally) until they try it in Peoria,” he says. “I think the reason (Mayor Ardis) wants to pilot it is to determine if it’s effective in decreasing street crime.”

Although Representative Leitch supports the plan, he does admit he believes it will be “extremely difficult” to pass in the General Assembly.

“Typically, concealed carry bills never get out of the Rules Committee,” he says.

State Senator Dave Koehler (D-Peoria) also believes the legislation will be “a tough bill to get through” but says he “generally has no problem with Illinois passing a concealed carry bill.”

The senator claims he doesn’t know whether the bill would reduce crime. “I would look more to the issue of ‘Is it something that is reasonable?’ and ‘Is it part of the Second Amendment rights that people have?’ And I would say ‘yes.’ Preventing crime is not the issue. For me, the issue is allowing people to have the choice to carry guns.”

Peoria County Sheriff Mike McCoy says he supports Mayor Ardis’s proposal and also supports making the entire state of Illinois concealed carry.

“Results from the other 48 states show a reduction in gun crime, so, yes, I think there’s a very good chance that Illinois would follow suit,” he says.

Sheriff McCoy claims he believes the legislation, if passed, would be a complex bill that would need to include “very strict components” such as background checks, education on the legal aspects of how to carry a firearm, a demonstration of proficiency, such as being able to shoot at range, and strict penalties for anyone who misused the firearm.

In response to concerns that concealed carry would only escalate gun violence in the city, McCoy isn’t worried. “The bad guys already have the guns,” he says. “People that say there’s going to be riots in the streets and crazy wildfire—it’s just not going to happen. There would only be responsible people carrying guns—not people trying to ‘make the world right.’ I think if people look at the statistics and keep an open mind they would see (the legislation) bears looking into and warrants passage.”

The Illinois Sheriff Association endorsed concealed carry this past February, citing that states with CCW pilot projects have reduced crime and thus far have remained unproblematic.

Word from the Windy City

Mayor Ardis and other Peoria leaders who are “gun-ho” for concealed carry legislation may have to bite the bullet as they face a whirlwind of opposition from lawmakers in Chicago.

Illinois Senate President John Cullerton (D-Chicago) is just one Chicago politician who has been long-opposed to the concealed carry law. Cullerton has the authority to control the legislation voted on by the chamber. Few believe he would allow the bill to come to a vote.

A spokesperson for Senate President Cullerton states: “The Senate president has been a vocal opposition of increasing the proliferation of guns in our community. It is highly unlikely he will support the pilot program, but he will reserve judgement on the proposal until he sees legislation.”

Representative Edward Acevedo (D-Chicago) says “turning (Illinois) into the Wild West where everybody gets to carry guns” is “ridiculous.” Having served well over a decade as a police officer on the Southwest side of Chicago, Acevedo believes the state should place a ban on the use of assault weapons and particular shotguns, citing that the streets of Illinois are not the place for weapons that are used during times of war and destruction to kill “mass amounts of people.” Hunting for sport in downstate Illinois, he says, does not require these types of weapons.

Local legislators are keenly aware of the obstacles they face from Northern Illinois.

“Chicago Democrats are very much against expanding rights to gun owners,” says Representative Leitch. “There’s a very strong Chicago lobby in favor of banning handguns. To date, (the lobby) has been very effective in preventing concealed carry.”

Senator Risinger is also wary of sober attitudes toward guns up north. “Chicago lawmakers say that criminals already have guns and they don’t have any problems getting them,” he says.

Playing Judge & Jury

Concealed carry legislation may face local opposition as well. Tom Mannard, Executive Director of the Illinois Council Against Handgun Violence, has reservations about bringing concealed carry to Peoria.

“I don’t think it is the right response to crime,” he says. “One thing that we certainly believe is that allowing people to carry guns in public places is no way to address crime. You have an increase in gun-related violence and gun-related death and injury. I do not support concealed carry. We’ve had a long opposition to these proposals.”

Like many opponents of concealed carry, Mannard believes that carrying concealed weapons on one’s person may cause perceived suspects to become innocent victims.

“When you bring a gun into populated areas, the potential for danger greatly increases,” he says. “Sometimes, when people feel threatened, they may use their weapon when it’s not necessary and end up hurting innocent people. The bottom line is this: when you bring a gun into a public place, that’s not just your business. That becomes all of our business. And if you’re looking for trouble, you’ll probably find it.”

Mannard believes concealed carry has never had “any significant impact on reducing crime” and says there must be “a very thorough discussion” among Peoria residents as to the feasibility of concealed carry locally.

“There is a very organized vocal minority who is very much in favor of concealed carry,” he says. “But if you look at any state that has concealed carry laws, it’s one to three percent or at the highest eight to nine percent of people who are even able to get a permit to carry a concealed weapon. It’s not like we’d have a huge number of people taking advantage of this.”

Mannard says a discussion should be held with Peoria city council members with regard to the advantages and disadvantages of concealed carry.

“If (concealed carry legislation) did get passed, I believe there should be mandatory criminal background checks and significant training about how to use guns—and when,” says Mannard. “If it’s 2:00 a.m. and someone’s walking toward me, should I be judge and jury and decide if he’s a threat and it’s advisable to use a weapon? Should that be my call? These are important points that need to be taken into consideration when thinking about this type of legislation.”

Executive Director with the Illinois State Rifle Association Richard Pearson supports Mayor Ardis’s venture but says the legislation poses a challenge to civil rights by allowing Peoria residents the right to carry guns while denying the right to the rest of Illinois.

Consulting the Constituents

While state legislators on both sides of the aisle have their opinions, State Representative Jehan Gordon (D-Peoria) says she doesn’t have “strong feelings” either way.

“My mind is not made up. I plan to keep an open mind,” she says. “My biggest priorities are to make Peoria a safe community and to make the residents of Peoria feel safe.”

Gordon claims she believes it is important to “keep an open mind” and discuss the issue with her constituents.

“I’m voting their interests, not my own,” she says.

Gordon believes the concealed carry issue must be taken to Peoria County and “opened up to the people, to different areas of the community around the community” through town hall meetings throughout the county.

“By in large, most of the people I’ve talked to just want to feel safe,” she says.

Gordon believes local bipartisan support for the legislation would need to exist for a bill to be passed.

“We would not have Chicago legislative support,” she says. “We need to study the issue and look at the data for and against (concealed carry). I’d be interested in looking at other cities similar in size and demographics to Peoria. It’s imperative for me that I look and see what works in other places.”

Contact your local officials and legislators and let them know where you stand on concealed carry!