State Police address FOID, cyber security audit findings

State Police address FOID, cyber security audit findings

Spread the love

(The Center Square) – As his agency works to correct compliance findings by the state’s auditor general, Illinois State Police Director Brendan Kelly says Firearm Owner’s Identification Card backlogs have been eliminated and processing times have improved.

Kelly appeared before the Legislative Audit Commission and addressed findings that his department did not comply with FOID Act requirements.

Courtney Dzierwa of the Auditor General’s Office said renewal fees were deposited into the wrong fund, and ISP was late to provide notification of expiring cards in some cases.

“We recommended the department ensure notifications to FOID card holders are sent in a timely manner and ensure fees are deposited in accordance with the act,” Dzierwa said.

Kelly said the FOID system has been modernized and the backlog has been eliminated.

“The average processing time now for a new FOID card is 14 days, and that’s well below the statutory limitation,” Kelly said.

Dzierwa said the auditor’s most recent examination had 32 findings, but no new material weaknesses and an overall reduction of weaknesses.

State Sen. Laura Ellman, D-Naperville, expressed concern about an audit finding that ISP did not maintain adequate security controls over computer systems to safeguard confidential information.

“That’s a big red flag for me, so I’d like you to talk to me about what you’ve done to remediate,” Ellman said.

Kelly said ISP uses software from 35 different vendors.

“We’re pretty close to having all the vendors now meeting the requirements we expect from all of them in terms of their cyber security requirements, the agreements that they have in order to do business with the Illinois State Police,” Kelly said.

Kelly said his office has been more aggressive in training workers to not respond to phishing emails.

“It’s concerning that you see smart, intelligent people that will click on something that they shouldn’t,” Kelly said.

###

Leave a Comment





Latest News Stories

Fiscal Fallout: Illinois has among highest-paid state employees

Fiscal Fallout: Illinois has among highest-paid state employees

By Jared Strong | The Center SquareThe Center Square (The Center Square) – The average wages for Illinois state employees are among the highest in the nation and belie the...
Report: State reliance on federal funds up significantly since 1990s

Report: State reliance on federal funds up significantly since 1990s

By Tate MillerThe Center Square States rely on federal dollars more than they have in modern history, according to a new report, with one of the report’s authors saying such...
Southwest low on list of safest states; Northeast at the top

Southwest low on list of safest states; Northeast at the top

By Dave MasonThe Center Square The Northeast corner is the safest part of the U.S., according to a new WalletHub study. The Southwest? Not so much. Issues such as high...
Washington state attorney general agrees to protect seal of confession

Washington state attorney general agrees to protect seal of confession

By Tim ClouserThe Center Square The Washington State Attorney General's Office reported on Friday that it has reached an agreement with the Catholic Church over a new abuse reporting law....
Pacific Northwest journalists sound off on Antifa at President Trump’s roundtable

Pacific Northwest journalists sound off on Antifa at President Trump’s roundtable

By Carleen JohnsonThe Center Square Journalists from the Pacific Northwest took part in President Donald Trump’s Wednesday roundtable discussion on Antifa that included top cabinet officials and other independent members...
Nvidia will pay 100k visa fees, others unsure

Nvidia will pay 100k visa fees, others unsure

By Andrew RiceThe Center Square Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang said his company would pay $100,000 fees for H-1B visas imposed by the Trump administration. On Sept. 19, President Donald Trump...
'Shameful:' GOP leaders frustrated with Dems on tenth day of shutdown

‘Shameful:’ GOP leaders frustrated with Dems on tenth day of shutdown

By Thérèse BoudreauxThe Center Square U.S. senators have left town for the weekend and will not vote again on a federal funding bill until Tuesday, meaning the ongoing government shutdown...
Trump snubbed by Nobel Committee, praised by winner

Trump snubbed by Nobel Committee, praised by winner

By Sarah Roderick-FitchThe Center Square After being credited for ending seven wars, President Donald Trump was snubbed for the Nobel Peace Prize. Trump, who accumulated several high-profile nominations for the...
Screenshot 2025-10-10 at 11.39.44 AM

Will County Committee Approves Preliminary $161.6M Tax Levy on Split Vote Amid Heated Debate Over Spending

Will County Finance Committee Meeting October 7, 2025 Article Summary: The Will County Finance Committee on Tuesday narrowly approved a preliminary $161.6 million property tax levy for 2025, which projects...
Screenshot 2025-10-10 at 11.36.42 AM

Will County Eyes Major Overhaul to Consolidate Scattered Government Offices

Will County Capital Improvements & IT Committee Meeting October 7, 2025 Article Summary: Will County officials are formally debating a new facilities master plan to address aging buildings and dozens...

Trump threatens tariffs on China over ‘hostile’ rare earths policy

By Brett RowlandThe Center Square President Donald Trump threatened a "massive increase" in tariffs on products from China after Beijing tightened export controls on rare earth minerals critical to advanced...
Illinois legislator urges school discipline to focus on behavior, not race

Illinois legislator urges school discipline to focus on behavior, not race

By Catrina Barker | The Center Square contributorThe Center Square (The Center Square) – McLean County Unit 5 submits a new discipline plan under state law after racial disparities are...
WATCH: Trump appeals Guard TRO as DHS looks to ‘double down’ law enforcement in Chicago

WATCH: Trump appeals Guard TRO as DHS looks to ‘double down’ law enforcement in Chicago

By Greg Bishop | The Center SquareThe Center Square (The Center Square) – In today's edition of Illinois in Focus Daily, The Center Square Editor Greg Bishop reviews the latest...
Illinois quick hits: Trump appeals judge's Guard order; ICE fence ordered down in Broadview

Illinois quick hits: Trump appeals judge’s Guard order; ICE fence ordered down in Broadview

By Jim Talamonti | The Center SquareThe Center Square Trump appeals judge's Guard order The Trump administration has appealed a federal judge’s temporary restraining order and preliminary injunction blocking the...
Trump administration appeals Illinois TRO blocking National Guard deployment

Trump administration appeals Illinois TRO blocking National Guard deployment

By Jim Talamonti | The Center SquareThe Center Square (The Center Square) – The Trump administration is appealing a federal judge’s temporary restraining order and preliminary injunction blocking the administration’s...