Funds being distributed to police agencies to fight carjackings in Illinois

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[March 25, 2023]  By Kevin Bessler | The Center Square

(The Center Square) – Millions of dollars are going out to police organizations around Illinois in an effort to combat carjackings.

 

More than 1,600 armed carjackings were reported in Chicago last year, and although the problem is less severe downstate, carjackings have been occurring in cities like Peoria and Champaign.

More than half of the $21 million in funding will be going to Illinois State Police and the Chicago Police Department as the city deals with some of the highest numbers of carjackings seen in at least a generation.

“This grant will allow the Illinois State Police to focus additional resources on the prevention and the investigative follow-up for vehicle thefts, hijackings and other related violent crimes,” ISP Director Brendan Kelly said.

Other grants are going to the Illinois Statewide Auto Theft Task Force, which is led by Secretary of State police ($3.4 million); the Metro East Auto Theft Task Force ($2.5 million); the Greater Peoria Auto Crimes Task Force ($2.1 million); and the Tri-County Auto Theft Task Force ($1.8 million).

The funding is earmarked to supplement police budgets for license plate readers, tracking devices, GPS software and other technology to hunt down carjackers.

The grant money comes from a $1 annual auto insurance policy assessment managed by the secretary of state’s office.

Funds will be distributed over the next few weeks. The police agencies can apply to renew the grants for the next three years.

Secretary of State Alexi Giannoulias revealed Thursday that he was a carjacking victim when he was in high school.

“I will tell you this happened a quarter century ago, and I still leave at least a car length when I stop at a stop light or a stop sign,” Giannoulias said.

Kevin Bessler reports on statewide issues in Illinois for the Center Square. He has over 30 years of experience in radio news reporting throughout the Midwest.

 

 

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