NW Illinois News

Illinois state Rep. Andrew Chesney (R-Freeport) filed a bill to counter the Criminal Police and Criminal Justice Reform Bill signed into law by Gov. J.B. Pritzker recently.

Chesney referred to the reforms as the "punish the police" law and said his bill would help.

"I don't believe a side-arm and a bullet-proof vest is enough to keep law enforcement safe in light of this legislation becoming law," Chesney said on Feb. 22. "Law enforcement now continues the slide into one of the most dangerous professions in Illinois."

Chesney's bill would classify offenses against active or retired police as a hate crime, which would apply to at least a dozen law violations, including assault, battery, misdemeanor theft, criminal trespasses, "mob action," disorderly conduct, and harassment by telephone or electronic communications that the current bill does not cover. 

Chesney's bill came soon after Pritzker signed the legislation at Chicago State University in the city's South Side. The bill passed both chambers of the state Legislature in January.

The law's 764 pages, among other things, abolish cash bail, expands law enforcement training and wellness programs, update sentencing laws, and provides treatment and rehabilitation options for low-level drug crimes.

Opponents, many from the law enforcement community, claimed the bill could free dangerous criminals because it limits judges' discretion to keep such criminals detained.

"Hopefully, we can get what are called 'trailer bills' that will follow a main objective that already passed, to maybe clean up," David Welter (R-Morris) said. "But there is going to be strong opposition to that. There are people who aren't going to want to give an inch, but we have to demand that, and we have to, by putting enough pressure, by educating enough people we should be able to have our voices heard."