State Representative Tony McCombie (IL) | Representative Tony M. McCombie (R) 89th District
State Representative Tony McCombie (IL) | Representative Tony M. McCombie (R) 89th District
A recent investigative report has revealed that nearly half of Illinois state troopers are yet to be equipped with body cameras, despite a looming deadline. The requirement stems from the SAFE-T Act, enacted in 2021, which mandates all law enforcement agencies in Illinois to implement body camera usage by January 1, 2025.
House Minority Leader Tony McCombie has voiced her concerns regarding the mandate. She argues that the legislation disproportionately affects smaller departments due to its rollout strategy based on departmental size. "This is a piece of that bill that has some good intent, but again, they don’t think about how you’re going to roll it out, you don’t think about the cost, you don’t think about the impact from locals and it fails," McCombie stated.
Despite her criticisms of the implementation process, McCombie supports the use of body cameras for enhancing public safety and transparency. To address these issues and improve upon what she perceives as flaws in the SAFE-T Act, McCombie has initiated a working group known as Truth in Public Safety (TIPS). This group aims to introduce legislative measures focusing on protecting crime victims, retaining and recruiting law enforcement officers, and ensuring pre-trial fairness for all parties involved.
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