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    Statement On Protect Illinois Communities Act From Knox County State's Attorney Jeremy Karlin

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    Hollie Knepper
    The Knox County State's Attorney disagrees with the Knox County Sheriff's decision not to enforce the new Protect Illinois Communities Act, which places restrictions on assault weapons and high-capacity magazines. While the Sheriff believes the law is unconstitutional, it is presumed constitutional until ruled otherwise by the courts. As law enforcement officers, personal views are irrelevant - the job is to enforce laws as decided by the legislature and interpreted by courts. The State's Attorney urges the Sheriff to reconsider and enforce the law uniformly until its constitutionality is decided in court, rather than unilaterally refusing enforcement.

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    Statement On Protect Illinois Communities Act From Knox County State's Attorney Jeremy Karlin

    Uploaded by

    Hollie Knepper
    2K views1 page
    The Knox County State's Attorney disagrees with the Knox County Sheriff's decision not to enforce the new Protect Illinois Communities Act, which places restrictions on assault weapons and high-capacity magazines. While the Sheriff believes the law is unconstitutional, it is presumed constitutional until ruled otherwise by the courts. As law enforcement officers, personal views are irrelevant - the job is to enforce laws as decided by the legislature and interpreted by courts. The State's Attorney urges the Sheriff to reconsider and enforce the law uniformly until its constitutionality is decided in court, rather than unilaterally refusing enforcement.

    Original Description:

    Karlin calls out Knox County Sheriff Jack Harlan Jr. in this release.

    Original Title

    Statement on Protect Illinois Communities Act from Knox County State's Attorney Jeremy Karlin

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    The Knox County State's Attorney disagrees with the Knox County Sheriff's decision not to enforce the new Protect Illinois Communities Act, which places restrictions on assault weapons and high-capacity magazines. While the Sheriff believes the law is unconstitutional, it is presumed constitutional until ruled otherwise by the courts. As law enforcement officers, personal views are irrelevant - the job is to enforce laws as decided by the legislature and interpreted by courts. The State's Attorney urges the Sheriff to reconsider and enforce the law uniformly until its constitutionality is decided in court, rather than unilaterally refusing enforcement.

    Copyright:

    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd
    Download as pdf or txt
    2K views1 page

    Statement On Protect Illinois Communities Act From Knox County State's Attorney Jeremy Karlin

    Uploaded by

    Hollie Knepper
    The Knox County State's Attorney disagrees with the Knox County Sheriff's decision not to enforce the new Protect Illinois Communities Act, which places restrictions on assault weapons and high-capacity magazines. While the Sheriff believes the law is unconstitutional, it is presumed constitutional until ruled otherwise by the courts. As law enforcement officers, personal views are irrelevant - the job is to enforce laws as decided by the legislature and interpreted by courts. The State's Attorney urges the Sheriff to reconsider and enforce the law uniformly until its constitutionality is decided in court, rather than unilaterally refusing enforcement.

    Copyright:

    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd
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    of 1

    JEREMY S.

    KARLIN ASSISTANT STATE’S ATTORNEYS


    KNOX COUNTY STATE'S ATTORNEY JONATHON T. SCHLAKE
    KNOX COUNTY COURTHOUSE SABRINA STROOPS
    GALESBURG, ILLINOIS 61401 ASHLEY M. WORBY
    TELEPHONE: (309) 345-3880 IHSAN ARMAN
    TELEFAX: (309) 345-0126 WILLIAM K. ODOFIN

    STATEMENT ON THE PROTECT ILLINOIS COMMUNITIES ACT AND ITS


    ENFORCEMENT IN KNOX COUNTY

    Last night Governor JB Pritzker signed into law HB5471, the Protect Illinois Communities Act. This act
    placed restrictions on the ability to possess military-style weapons and high-capacity ammunition
    magazines. The Act goes into effect immediately.

    Knox County Sheriff Harlan has issued a statement stating that: 1) He is the chief law enforcement
    officer of Knox County; 2) That he has decided that the Act is unconstitutional; and 3) he will not enforce
    the Act or make arrests based on violations of the Act. I disagree with all three of these positions and
    encourage him to reconsider.

    First, while this is largely semantic, Illinois Courts have repeated declared the state’s attorney to be the
    chief law enforcement officer of the county because he or she decides whether charges are filed. Second,
    the Protect Illinois Communities Act is presumed constitutional and enforceable until Illinois courts state
    otherwise. Third, until a court issues such a ruling, a law enforcement officer has an obligation to
    investigate crimes and enforce the law.

    There is a process to address the constitutionality of a newly-enacted law. For example, I joined over 60
    state’s attorneys in a law suit seeking that the Pre-Trial Fairness Act be found unconstitutional. A trial
    court sided with the State’s Attorneys and the issue is now before the Illinois Supreme Court. Until the
    trial court issued its decision in the last week in December, my office was prepared to enforce the Act
    starting on its effective date of January 1st. I urge the Sheriff to follow this example.

    The sheriff’s unilateral approach creates a problematic patchwork of enforcement. Apparently, no arrests
    or investigations regarding violations of the Act will occur in the county, but can still occur within
    municipalities like Galesburg, Abingdon, or Knoxville. Further, the Sheriff has pledged not to take into
    the jail those who are arrested in Galesburg or other cities for violation of this Act. Will those people be
    then housed in different counties at Knox County’s expense or will they just be released in the
    community? Furthermore, agree with the statute or not, it does give law enforcement another tool to keep
    firearms out of the hands of individuals whom we all agree ought not have them. It makes little sense to
    say that tool will not be used in any circumstance.

    As law enforcement officers, our personal convictions regarding a particular act or statute are largely
    irrelevant. The legislature decides what the law is. The courts decide whether they are constitutional. Its
    up to the Sheriff and I to enforce the laws.

    The Sheriff’s conviction regarding the Act should not be allowed to have the effect of law in Knox County.
    Personally, I agree that the statue has constitutional issues. These need to be decided in a courtroom and
    not in the back office of the Sheriff’s Department.

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