Lake County Gazette

The heavily debated SAFE-T Act is set to go into effect on Jan. 1, 2023.

Since its inception, the SAFE-T Act has received pushback from law enforcement, police unions and elected representatives, mainly Republicans. Over the past month, Democratic state's attorneys have joined the discussion and taken action to repeal the SAFE-T Act. As the discussion of the legislation continues to be elevated before November's election, state-level candidates and elected leaders are calling attention to parts of the bill that affect law enforcement’s ability to do their job.

“For years, radical Democrats have been disparaging law enforcement officers and pushing to weaken police departments across the state," Adam Solano, Republican candidate for state Senate in the 31st District, said. "With the Democrat’s dangerous SAFE-T Act about to become law, Mary Edly-Allen and other extreme politicians like her are getting their wish. This law severely limits the decision-making ability of law enforcement when interacting with criminals, crippling their ability to effectively restrain and arrest perpetrators. 

"Because of this law, officers will soon have a limited ability to protect themselves against criminals that are intent on injuring or killing them. By supporting this legislation, Mary Edly-Allen is endangering the safety of law enforcement – she should apologize to the brave men and women who serve our communities."

According to the Illinois Criminal Justice Information Authority, the SAFE-T Act enacts extensive reform impacting many areas of the criminal justice system, including pre-arrest diversion, policing, pretrial, sentencing, and corrections.

The most contested aspect of the SAFE-T Act is that it will eliminate cash bail in Illinois. The bill noted it will be “presumed that a defendant is entitled to release on personal recognizance” and may be detained thereafter if they violate certain conditions listed in 725 ILCS 5/110-2.        

Pritzker defended the elimination of cash bail, according to The Center Square. 

"We do not want someone in jail because they were arrested for a low-level crime like shoplifting to be sitting in jail for months or maybe even years," Pritzker said. "At the same time, someone who is a wealthy drug dealer, perhaps accused of murder and arrested, can show up with a suitcase full of money and get out of jail."                     

The website Police 1 reported on some of the major provisions of the SAFE-T Act, including restricting the use of force officers can use while pursuing an offender or making an arrest if the officer reasonably believes the person can be apprehended at a later date. It also will be illegal for law enforcement to shoot a taser at someone’s back, pelvis and head. Currently, it is a ‘recommended target’ in all police officer training. 

Body cameras will be made mandatory for all law enforcement agencies by 2025, whether funding is made available. The Illinois attorney general will be able to impose a civil penalty against an individual officer – up to $25,000 for a first offense and $50,000 for a second offense. Officers cannot make custodial arrests for Class B misdemeanors, which would include criminal trespass and window peekers. Instead of making an arrest, officers will be required to issue a citation and do not have the authority to remove a person from private or public property unless they are acting in a threatening manner.                              

SafeWise's annual 2022 State of Safety survey found that 42% of Illinois residents report feeling safe, while 64% reported feeling "high daily concern" for their safety. Thirteen percent of respondents reported experiencing gun violence firsthand, an increase from 8% the previous year. Mass shooting incidents in Illinois increased by 25% from 2020 to 2021. Solano is a native of Lake County and has lived in Grayslake since 1996, according to his campaign biography. He began his career in financial services in 1993 and has continuously served in local, professional groups providing his knowledge to peers in the same profession and mentoring up-and-comers.

Solano is running against Democrat and former state Rep. Mary Edly Allen in November's election.