Politics & Government

Oswego Not Banning Assault Weapons

The item was brought up due to a 10-day window any local government would have to address individual ordinances with the likely new concealed carry law.

The Village of Oswego will not be banning assault weapons.

The decision was made Tuesday night in a standing-room only Village Board meeting after Village Attorney Karl Ottensen brought up the possibility of a ban.

Ottosen said the only reason the ban was on the agenda, and not listed as an action time, was because if Gov. Pat Quinn chooses to sign the state's recently passed concealed carry law, there is just a 10-day window in which home rule communities have the ability to adopt ordinances regulating automatic or assault weapons.

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“We need to at least put this on the agenda to determine whether there was any interest on this board,” said Ottensen. “You are the governing body, you need to make a decision.”

“I strongly oppose this [ban],” said Oswego Police Chief Dwight Baird. “Anything the state passes obviously we have to enforce, but to do it on a local municipal level, I don’t see where this ordinance would be a deterrent for violence.”

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Baird posed a scenario that Wolf Road goes in and out of Oswego’s jurisdiction 12 times and that if someone driving down the road to go to ranges close to the community and were stopped in Oswego, they would be in violation. 

“It would be very difficult for a law enforcement agency to enforce this.”

“Is there any motion to ban assault weapons?” Village president Brian LeClercq asked. After a pause he said,  “Seeing no one, moving on.” The proposal died due to lack of a motion.

The announcement was met with thunderous applause from the many gathered residents.

Two attendees, including Jessica Bannister, secretary for the Central Committee is the Kendall County Republican Central Committee, and a U.S. Marine, stayed to publicly thank the board.

“Thank you for upholding the constitution,” said Bannister.

What the Village would have considered as an assault weapon can be viewed in the meeting agenda here.

EDIT: This article has been changed to reflect Bannister's correct spelled name and committee name.


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