The Lake County state’s attorney’s office recently conducted a training session for more than 60 law enforcement professionals to educate them on the ways they can use “red flag” laws to keep guns away from potentially dangerous people.
The session was conducted June 26 at the College of Lake County, with presentations from the Illinois State Police and the Lake County health department.
“This training is about making a difference,” State’s Attorney Eric Rinehart told attendees. “We have too many guns in our society, too much domestic violence and too many people who need mental health treatment.
“We want to make sure that law enforcement, medical professionals and education leaders are aware of the tools they have in order to continue keeping our community safe,” he said.
Representatives from the ISP explained how law enforcement officials and school administrators can use a state police online tool to report dangerous individuals. If the ISP decides the person reported is a clear and present danger, that person’s firearm owners ID card can be temporarily revoked.
Elizabeth Leahy, the firearms safety counsel for ISP, explained the process for obtaining a firearm restraining order, a temporary court order that orders the removal of guns from the possession of a potentially dangerous person.
Local officials also outlined the process that law enforcement officers can use to involuntarily hospitalize someone undergoing an extreme mental health crisis.
Lifesavers
The Lake County sheriff’s office reports that the quick actions of one of its officers may have saved the life of a motorcyclist seriously injured in an accident.
The accident happened June 24 at the intersection of Illinois Route 176 and Bayonne Avenue in Green Oaks. A transit van being driven by a Gurnee woman was eastbound on Route 176 and made a left turn in the path of a Harley being driven by a Skokie man. The motorcycle struck the van, throwing its rider.
Deputy Dwight Arrowood responded and, seeing the motorcycle rider bleeding significantly from a leg wound, applied a tourniquet. The man was taken to a hospital in critical condition.
A Lincolnshire police officer was also recently recognized for his lifesaving actions. Responding to a call for service on May 3 at Trafalgar Square, Officer Robert Skrobot discovered an unresponsive person. He immediately began performing CPR.
His actions were critical in sustaining the person’s life until paramedics arrived, said the village of Lincolnshire, which recognized Skrobot with its Lifesaving Award.
“Officer Skrobot’s proficiency and dedication in administering lifesaving CPR is a true reflection of the caliber of our officers. His actions embody the highest standards of service and compassion,” Chief Jospeh Leonas said.
House party gunfire
Gurnee police officers say they responded to reports of gunfire at a house party at about 1:40 a.m. on June 26 in the 1500 block of Acorn Court.
The shooting erupted at a house party, and police collected several shell casings. No injuries were reported, but police said someone came to Vista East Medical Center about two hours later for treatment of a minor gunshot wound.
Police said they are unsure if it was connected to the Acorn Court incident. The incident is under investigation.
Compliance checks
The sheriff’s office recently cited clerks at three stores for selling tobacco products to underage customers.
The citations were part of the sheriff’s office’s spring compliance check of vendors. Underage people working with the department visited 73 establishments around the county, attempting to buy tobacco products. Seventy businesses asked the minors for ID.
The three clerks cited worked at stores near Ingleside, Lake Barrington and Wadsworth.
The compliance checks are, according to the sheriff’s office, “intended to ensure businesses selling tobacco/nicotine products display proper tobacco sale signage and are following appropriate identification procedures to ensure products are not sold to anyone under the age of 21.”
