Turner supports legislative package that empowers law enforcement and holds violent criminals accountable

 

[February 02, 2022] 

Citing the urgent need to take swift action to stem the ongoing spike in violent crime across the state, State Senator Sally Turner (R-Beason) lends her support for the Illinois Senate Republican Caucus’ newly unveiled legislative package that targets violent crime and offers a critical lifeline to law enforcements efforts.

“As crimes continues to climb across our state, it is our duty as state legislators to enact policy changes to combat it,” said Sen. Turner. “If we do not take quick and decisive action now, it may become too late to fix this seriously concerning and dangerous trend.”

The legislative package includes a “Fund the Police Grant Act,” which would provide targeted grants to assist law enforcement, provide additional training, and purchase much-needed equipment, including body cameras. The senators called for greater support for the men and women tasked with protecting communities across the state, noting that police officers and sheriffs were leaving the law-enforcement profession in unprecedented numbers. In many cases, officers leaving the profession have indicated that it was, in large part, due to provisions of the so-called “SAFE-T Act,” an anti-police package rammed through by a partisan vote in the late-night hours of a lame-duck session in January 2021.

"As many communities are inundated with individuals intent on harming others, it is refreshing to see legislation that actually assists law enforcement in our efforts to remove violent criminals from our communities instead of legislation that frustrates those efforts,” said McLean County State’s Attorney Don Knapp. “I applaud Senator Sally Turner’s attempt to provide additional tools to those of us who seek to hold criminals accountable.”

The legislative package also contains bills to keep violent offenders off of the street, help stop the flow of illegal guns to criminals, take serious action against carjacking, provide mental health treatment to detainees, and repeal the dangerous bail provisions of the anti-police “SAFE-T Act.”

“This legislative package is a common-sense approach to directly and immediately impact the crime wave surging across our state,” Sen. Turner continued. “These proposals deserve to be taken seriously and debated. They ensure that those tasked with protecting our communities receive the support needed to combat violent crime and keep us all safe. The people of Illinois cannot afford for the General Assembly to ignore the ongoing violent crime that is threatening every Illinoisan.”

The Senate Republicans’ legislative package has the support of the Illinois Sheriffs’ Association and the Illinois Fraternal Order of Police.

To view the full text of the Senate Republicans’ package, click here.

[Marcus J. Durrett
Illinois Senate Republican Staff]