Last Tuesday, Illinois joined the rest of the nation as it became the final state that allows the concealed carry of weapons in public with a permit. However, policies at the University are going to remain mostly the same, said Skip Frost, deputy chief for University Police.

Frost said although concealed carry has now passed, it will be up to 180 days before training is even available to citizens. He also said even when citizens are able to carry concealed carry licenses, one of the many prohibited areas in the act includes university campuses.

“People who carry firearms on campus are subject to arrest because you are not allowed to carry it there,” Frost said. “A lot of areas you still cannot lawfully carry and the list is quite long.”

Lawmakers override Gov. Pat Quinn’s veto, which placed massive restrictions on where people can carry guns.

Frost said that those interested in carrying a concealed carry weapon should look at the act posted on the state’s website to see all 23 prohibited areas for concealed carry permits. Some of these prohibited areas include establishments where alcohol sales account for more than 50 percent of annual sales, any elementary or secondary schools, any portion of a building that is used as a child-care facility, any community college or university and any stadium or arena of a collegiate or professional sporting event.

Because concealed carry will be prohibited on campus, Frost said University Police will not be offering concealed carry training.

Frost said he and the department do not foresee any additional trouble to keep guns off campus when citizens are carrying permits, but that the officers will have any necessary training. He added the department will have to adjust to the new conditions.

“We’re pretty alert to keeping guns off of campus now,” Frost said. 

Aleks Dapkus, president of registered student organization Illini On-Target, is happy about concealed carry legislation passing in Illinois, but is less excited about some of the restrictions and requirements of the law.

“In all, I’m happy that, come my graduation, I’ll be able to conceal carry,” Dapkus said in an email. “It is like the state’s graduation gift to me.”

However, Dapkus said he does not agree with everything in the law, such as $400 for training and a $150 permit fee required to be able to conceal carry, saying that this is not easy to come by for some individuals. He also disagrees with the restrictions on where you can conceal carry.

“The lack of (conceal carry) on campus is dangerous,” he said in the email. “What with the amount of crime report emails we get, and the lack of carry in bars is frustrating.”

Owen Marsden, president of Illini Democrats, said concealed carry in Illinois was inevitable and that he was not “entirely happy with it, but it’s better than the status quo.”

“I’m not entirely happy with what was eventually passed,” Marsden said. “It makes sure that there are some safe guards and where guns can’t be carried. So all-in-all, it’s a positive.”

Kat can be reached at [email protected].