March 09--Let burglars and bandits beware the city's Southeast Side, where residents had the most active concealed carry permits in the city through the beginning of the year.
In Cook County, southwest suburban Oak Lawn leads all in total number, according to data from the Illinois State Police that lists total permits by ZIP code.
About 685 residents of the 60617 ZIP code -- a large four-mile chunk of the lakefront stretching from East 79th Street to 122nd Street, from Lake Michigan to an area bordering the Bishop Ford Expressway -- hold permits that allow them to carry concealed firearms in public since the state police began issuing them in 2014.
Twenty residents of the same area, which includes much of the former steel-producing South Deering neighborhood, were denied permits, while law enforcement agencies objected to the permit applications of another 48 people, the data show.
Those seeking permits appear to be benefiting from the close proximity to Hammond, Ind., gun shops and a concealed carry training facility run by a retired steelworker, one of a handful of such facilities within city limits. The new law combined with fear that crime may creep into the area, which has a low violent crime rate, is likely boosting the number of permits.
"I hear (from residents) all the time, 'I'm gonna get a gun because I'm afraid,'" said Ald. Susan Sadlowski Garza, whose 10th Ward covers much of 60617. "I think fear plays a big part of it. Absolutely."
Tony Burmistrz, who has run the Chicagoland Concealed Carry Institute on South Indianapolis Boulevard since 2014, says the majority of permit-seekers who come to his classes are vulnerable community members who are afraid of becoming a crime statistic.
"People just don't like living in fear," said Burmistrz, whose facility offers a 16-hour concealed carry course. "A lot of the people who come to our class are middle-age people, some elderly people, a lot of women ... they're going through these neighborhoods, a lot of robberies happen and they're getting sick of it."
Most of Burmistrz's customers are residents of the 10th Ward, but he's increasingly attracting people from throughout the area from all walks of life: businessmen, veterans, past victims of crimes and even residents from distant "safer neighborhoods," he said.
"In our January class we had five lawyers that didn't necessarily know each other. Two were from the northwest suburbs, two were from one of the south suburbs and one was from Lincoln Park," he said.
At least two ZIP codes from lower-crime neighborhoods also make up the top five of city permit holders.
The 60634 ZIP code, which covers the Northwest Side Dunning neighborhood, has the second-highest number of permit holders in the city, with 660. This is followed by 60638, which contains the Garfield Ridge and Clearing communities surrounding Midway Airport, with 641. Dunning, Garfield Ridge and Clearing have not reported homicides since 2014.
The 60619 ZIP code, which covers Greater Grand Crossing, Chatham and Avalon Park neighborhoods on the South Side, had 634permits, and 60620, which covers the Auburn Gresham neighborhood along with portions of Brainerd and Beverly, had 627 permit holders, rounding out the city's top five.
The 60619 and 60620 areas are regularly plagued with violent crime and gang problems. So far this year, Greater Grand Crossing and Chatham combined for three homicides, while Auburn Gresham has at least seven, according to preliminary totals gathered by the Tribune. With more than 1,200 active permits, this is the first indication that citizens in these areas are taking advantage of the new law.
Interestingly, the six ZIP codes that cover downtown Chicago show a combined 345 residents have active permits -- the most being along the Gold Coast and Streeterville areas, where there are 135 active permits.
Outside the city, the 60453 ZIP code, which covers Oak Lawn with just more than 57,000 residents, leads all of Cook County with 753 permit holders. The ZIP code 60477, which covers much of Tinley Park, came in second with 709; Orland Park had 667; 60411, which covers portions of south suburban Chicago Heights, Sauk Village and Lynwood, had 546; while 60402, which covers Berwyn, had 439.
Illinois became the last state in the nation to grant its residents the right to concealed carry after the law's passage in 2013. Citizens with permits and firearm owner's identification cards are allowed to carry concealed handguns but can be denied, or have law enforcement agencies object to their applications, if they have prior convictions. Permit holders also can have their permits suspended or revoked if they are the subject of a protective order or commit a serious crime.
wlee@tribpub.com
