Mayor Brandon Johnson signed an executive order Wednesday morning tightening how the City of Chicago purchases firearms, gun accessories and ammunition. It takes effect immediately and starts a 90-day process for new procurement standards that will govern city departments and sister agencies.
City procurement rules
The order requires all city departments, including the Chicago Police Department, to do business only with gun suppliers with strong business practices. The Department of Procurement Services must develop the new standards within 90 days, working with the Chicago Police Department, the Office of Public Safety Administration and the Department of Law.
Johnson said in a statement released with the order, "Chicago's commitment to community safety is reflected in the standards we set for how taxpayer dollars are spent." He also said, "This executive order builds on that commitment by strengthening our procurement standards to ensure the City’s purchasing power advances responsible business practices and community safety."
Vendor disclosures and review
Companies seeking city contracts for firearms, ammunition and related accessories will have to disclose licensing and regulatory compliance information, firearm-related violations, corrective actions and business practices designed to prevent firearm trafficking, straw purchasing, theft and the unlawful diversion of firearms. The city will also be able to weigh employee training programs, security measures, cooperation with law enforcement investigations and other public safety practices when awarding or renewing contracts.
That process gives the city a way to look beyond price alone. A vendor that can document compliance, training and security practices may be treated differently from one that cannot.
Ciera Bates-Chamberlain statement
Ciera Bates-Chamberlain, executive director of Live Free Illinois, said in a statement, "Too many families in Chicago know the cost of an industry that has too often operated without enough accountability." She also said, "This executive order sends a clear message: public dollars should never reward harmful business prac"
The order fits a broader argument raised by Brady United, which estimates taxpayers spend more than $5 billion each year on law enforcement firearms and ammunition. Brady United said law enforcement agencies across the country have spent millions of taxpayer dollars buying firearms from dealers and manufacturers with repeated violations of federal firearm regulations.
For vendors that already do business with the City of Chicago, the immediate change is the review standard. The city has set a 90-day window to write the rules, and the open question is which firearm vendors currently doing business with the city will meet them.
