Sheriff Addresses FOID Issues
Hello citizens of Jasper County this is Sheriff Brandon Francis. I would like to address the recent
Facebook Post and rumors about the Sheriff’s Office going to a house to pick up an individual’s guns for
an expired FOID. I would like to start off by advising everyone that since I have been Sheriff the Sheriff’s
Office has never taken a firearm from any individual for a Concealed Carry or FOID expiration,
suspension, or revocation. My Deputies and I are not coming to your residence for your firearms. I
released an article in the June 3 rd , 2019 edition of the Jasper County News Eagle. This article explains the
letter that the Sheriff’s Office receives from the Illinois State Firearms Service Bureau. The article goes
on to explain what the Sheriff’s Office does once we receive this letter. I wrote this letter to warn
people of what I felt were non-valid reasons of FOID revocations. As I state in the letter the Sheriff’s
Office has nothing to do with the Illinois State Police Firearms Bureau. I do not agree with many of
these revocations and suspensions. When we collect the Non Valid FOID it is sent to the Illinois State
Police Firearms Bureau along with the Firearm Disposition which list the firearms and who the firearms
were transferred to. These items must be received by the Illinois State Police Firearms Bureau before
they will consider reinstating the FOID. We will assist people in filling out these forms if they want help
and we will mail them off for the individual. On occasions where it was not clear why the FOID was
revoked I have done some digging and found out for the individual why the State revoked the FOID or
Concealed Carry. I have also mailed letters into the Illinois State Police Firearms Bureau explaining why I
felt certain revocations were not valid and in some cases provided court documents to prove this.
The question I have seen several times is why does the Sheriff’s Office get involved in these
matters? Now that I have explained what the Sheriff’s Office does let me explain what takes place if the
Sheriff’s Office chooses to not get involved. Members of the Illinois State Police are given the task of
making sure that everyone that does not have a valid FOID is compliant with State Law. If the individual
chooses not to surrender the FOID to local Law Enforcement and not complete the Firearms disposition
then the State Police are aware that they have not received these documents. In the past Members
from the Illinois State Police have come to the Sheriff’s Office. They have a list of the people that live in
the county that have had FOID revocations. They then compare their list with the list of people that we
have collected the Non-valid FOID and Firearm disposition forms from. If the people have surrendered
their FOID and completed a firearm disposition everything is fine with them. If they find that people
have not surrendered their FOID or completed a Firearm Disposition then they may go visit the
individual. The Sheriff’s Office does NOT accompany the State Police when they visit homes for this
reason. In some cases firearms are taken from the individual. This is one reason why the Sheriff’s Office
attempts to visit homes and collect these documents and help with the dispositions. We look to give the
individual every possible option and help get their FOID issues resolved if we can. This way they can
avoid the State Police knocking on their door and they can have a spouse, family member, or trusted
friend keep the firearms until their FOID issues are resolved.
I would like to state again that the Sheriff’s Office has never taken any firearms from individuals
for the reasons listed above and we have no intentions of doing so. I am a hunter and I am pro 2 nd
amendment. I have helped teach concealed carry classes and I have donated firearms to be raffled off
for community events. I have also been a sponsor of the Newton High School Trap Team. I believe that
our law abiding citizens should bear arms if they choose to do so and that our community is safer
because of it. Like many of you I do not agree with the FOID. Unfortunately we live in a state that
requires a FOID. These are some of the reasons that I chose to write an article back in June addressing
these issues. I am a firearm owner and I will work with other firearm owners to help protect our 2 nd
Amendment rights. I will attach the article I wrote in June. Please contact me at the Sheriff’s Office if
you have any further questions regarding these issues. Please remember that if a Deputy or I come to
your house we are trying to help you with your FOID issues despite what the letter you received from
the State might say. I apologize for any confusion in this matter.
Respectfully,
Sheriff Brandon Francis
It just shows we must have people who are finding out what bills are straight from Chicago and let our legislators know once and for all what we non-Chicagoland voters want. We must separate! This would never have made it to law ! Please keep voting for people who really, for certain, EVERY time vote prolife and pro second amendment . God bless us all. Thanks Brandon