Champaign stabbing raises concerns over Illinois mental-health law
[September 29, 2025]
By Catrina Barker | The Center Square contributor
(The Center Square) – A state lawmaker who also serves as a police
officer says the recent stabbing of non-police first responders in
Champaign underscores his criticism of a new state law.
The Illinois Community Emergency Services and Support Act, signed by
Gov. J.B. Pritzker in 2021, limits police presence unless violence or
criminal activity is anticipated. The law’s full implementation has
faced repeated delays, with the deadline now pushed back to June 30,
2027, as the state conducts pilot tests in select 911 centers.
State Rep. Dennis Tipsword, R-Metamore, voiced skepticism about the
law’s safety implications for first responders.
“So the idea is that if someone calls a 911 center and they’re having
some sort of mental episode, a dispatcher would be trained to figure
that out during the call. Instead of sending law enforcement, they would
send a counselor or transfer the call to counselors who would then
respond,” Tipsword told The Center Square. “My worry is that you can’t
judge what’s going on on the other end of that phone from a distance.”
According to a City of Champaign news release, 23-year old suspect
Trevor Lewis was arrested on multiple charges, including attempted
murder, after stabbing emergency personnel before police arrived, an
incident Tipsword says highlights the dangers of sending non-law
enforcement responders into volatile situations.
“That’s when you end up with a situation like we had earlier this month
over in Champaign, where we had a couple firefighters and a paramedic
injured because they were responding to one of these types of calls,”
Tipsword said.
He also warned of potential costs to taxpayers if more incidents occur.
“Obviously, there are work comp claims, so there’s going to be taxpayer
funds spent on workman’s compensation claims because they got hurt while
they were working,” Tipsword said.
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Tipsword said Illinois’ new limits on police involvement in
mental-health crisis calls are being rolled out without the
infrastructure to keep first responders safe.
“The rollout of this has been so difficult because when you get
outside of the bigger cities and the bigger areas, the
infrastructure’s not there,” Tipsword said. “There aren’t counselors
on call 24 hours a day that can respond to these things. There are
not even call centers.”
Tipsword explained under the law, 911 dispatchers need additional
training to recognize when certain calls should be redirected to the
988 crisis line. If dispatchers can identify those situations, the
calls could be transferred directly to 988. However, Tipsword noted
there are still many moving parts and unknowns in how the system
will ultimately work.
Tipsword warned the law exposes responders to unnecessary danger.
“I’m not against the idea of trying to find a solution that’s
workable, but I feel like sending non-law enforcement people into
these situations alone is not the answer,” Tipsword said.
For Tipsword, the issue is less about the concept and more about
execution.
“Because we feel better by not sending law enforcement to that
situation, that doesn’t make it okay,” he said. “Our feelings
shouldn’t matter. Our feelings should be to make sure all folks,
those responding and those involved in the situation, are safe and
protected first and foremost.”
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