DuPage County sheriff under fire for not backing assault weapons ban

Flanked by fellow congressmen, state lawmakers and county board members, U.S. Rep. Sean Casten Monday repeated calls for DuPage County Sheriff James Mendrick to retract a statement about the state’s new assault weapons ban or resign.

Earlier this month, Mendrick issued a statement that said he believed the state’s new ban on high-powered guns and high-capacity magazines was unconstitutional.

“Therefore, as the custodian of the jail and chief law enforcement official for DuPage County, neither myself nor my office will be checking to ensure that lawful gun owners register their weapons with the state, nor will we be arresting or housing law-abiding individuals that have been arrested solely with noncompliance of this Act,” Mendrick’s statement reads.

Casten and other lawmakers Monday called Mendrick’s statements irresponsible and reckless.

“His actions are going to make future mass shootings more likely,” Casten said.

The Downers Grove Democrat said he spoke with Mendrick last week before he and five other congressmen issued a letter calling on him to retract his statement. Casten, however, declined to elaborate on the conversation.

In the letter, the five Democratic federal lawmakers whose districts include DuPage County also asked Mendrick if there were any other laws he has chosen to disregard and if he has directed staff not to enforce any other laws.

“We seek clarity right now,” U.S. Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi, a Schaumburg Democrat, said during the news conference Monday. “We need to know exactly what we’re dealing with, and we all uniformly demand that he enforce the law as written.

“I just want to say with one voice, we cannot wait another day, we cannot wait another hour, we can’t wait another minute for the sheriff to do his duty because lives depend on it,” he added.

Democratic members of the DuPage County Board present at Monday’s news conference suggested they could censure Mendrick if he does not retract his statement. Casten indicated other steps could be taken but declined to elaborate.

“We’re not going to let this die,” Casten said after the news conference.

While Mendrick and more than 90 sheriffs across Illinois have issued statements opposing the law, Casten said he has focused on Mendrick because his district includes DuPage County.

During a nearly hourlong interview on the “Black and Right” radio program on AM 560, Mendrick was critical of the weapons ban, claiming sheriffs were not consulted in drafting the new law. Mendrick also argued the new law does not indicate what happens after January 1, 2024, the deadline for gun owners to register weapons and questioned how the state plans to enforce registration.

“Not that I want compliance checks, but if you don’t have them, why do this?” Mendrick said during the radio program.

Mendrick has declined numerous requests from the Daily Herald for comment and could not immediately be reached for comment Monday.

However, during his radio interview, Mendrick said his office does not have the staff to do compliance checks. Mendrick said he is currently short-staffed by 30 people. He said he used to have patrol shifts of 18 deputies but now only has 11.

“If we go to doors to check for lawful gun owners, we won’t be available to answer 911 calls anymore,” he said, adding that a compliance check would require at least three deputies.

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