Sheriffs who see themselves as ultimate defenders of the Constitution are especially worried about gun rights

Sheriffs who see themselves as ultimate defenders of the Constitution are especially worried about gun rights

A gun control law signed by Gov. J.B. Pritzker of Illinois in January 2023 immediately faced opposition from a group key to the law's enforcement: sheriffs. They are county-level, locally elected public officials who run jails, provide courthouse security, and, in many counties, are the primary providers of law enforcement services.

Sheriffs who see themselves as ultimate defenders of the Constitution are especially worried about gun rights

Sheriffs are far more likely to support looser gun laws than the public at large - and that perspective is linked to some sheriffs’ views that they are the highest level of defenders of the U.S. Constitution and Americans’ constitutional rights.