Police departments across the nation are struggling to hire and retain officers, leading to staffing shortages and higher crime rates. | LOGAN WEAVER/Unsplash
Police departments across the nation are struggling to hire and retain officers, leading to staffing shortages and higher crime rates. | LOGAN WEAVER/Unsplash
State Representative Keith Wheeler (R-Oswego) is calling for the repeal of Illinois' SAFE-T Act, joining the chorus of criticism of the legislation that includes multiple states' attorneys.
"We have to protect victims' rights and give law enforcement the tools and support they need to make Illinois a safer place for all," Wheeler said in a Facebook post this week. "It's time to repeal the SAFE-T Act that Democrats rammed through last year."
The Illinois Safety, Accountability, Fairness and Equity-Today (SAFE-T) Act eliminates cash bail by 2023, provides certain individuals accused of felonies to not have to be detained before trial, and puts restrictions on Illinois police officers; a release by the nonprofit group Injustice Watch said. Police unions and law enforcement groups have called the SAFE-T Act legislation a threat to pubic safety.
Illinois Keith Wheeler (R-Oswego)
| Photo Courtesy of Keith Wheeler
A number of states' attorneys expressed concern about the legislation at a media briefing earlier this week, a report from Center Square said. One of the main concerns is the elimination of cash bail, which will go into effect on Jan. 1.
"With this new law, our hands will be tied," one state's attorney said in the report. "What sane citizen in this state of Illinois would want the state's attorney's hands tied, the police hands tied, and give all the perks going to violent offenders. That's what this law does."
State Sen. Dale Fowler (R-Harrisburg) noted that some of the provisions put in place for law enforcement are driving people away from the field.
"It's been very frustrating to see our law enforcement officers retire early, some of our sheriffs retire early, and our students not wanting to go into the law enforcement field," he said in the report.
The Illinois Legislative Black Caucus, which pushed for the SAFE-T Act to be passed, issued a press release in January.
"As usual with the Republican Party, any effort to make the justice system fairer for Black people is called 'dangerous,'" the press release, issued through State Sen. Robert Peters' (D-Chicago) office, said. "With this law, we have worked directly with community organizations, legal rights advocates and law enforcement to make our justice system more effective and more just at the same time. That's why the Illinois State Police and other law enforcement groups continue to work with us on this bill."
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