Will County Gazette

Republican House Leader Jim Durkin (R-Western Springs) is all in when it comes to the SAFE-T Act repeal movement.

“For over a year now we have been bringing to light the horrible aspects of Gov. Pritzker and the Democrats’ anti-law enforcement, anti-crime bill that they wrongly call the SAFE-T Act and at that time we pointed out all the new law's horrific shortcomings that have created a consequence-free Illinois for criminals,” Durkin said at a recent news conference. “We have pointed out how hard and violent criminal offenders, those that have already been given second and third chances, are given more rights than victims of crime. We've talked about the massive amount of police who are leaving the force because this law attacks their career instead of going after people who attacked the laws of Illinois.”

Durkin argues the proof is now in the numbers, pointing to how retail thefts, carjacking and murders are all drastically up across the state since the law that eliminates the cash bail system, changed use-of-force guidelines and triggered a new police certification system while expanding detainee rights was signed into law.

Durkin also points to the mass exodus now taking place among officers in departments across the state.

“In 2021 alone, almost 900 officers in the state of Illinois left their respective departments,” he said. “717 retired and 176 others either resigned or transferred to other police agencies outside the state of Illinois. That's according to the latest figures we have. That will continue.”

As an answer, Republican lawmakers have introduced House Bill 4499, which calls for SAFE-T’s full repeal.  

“Most everyone in the state besides the Democrats who passed this law knew there were going to be horrific real-world consequences by these poorly thought-out changes,” Durkin said. “People will be hurt and now we are seeing it firsthand.”

Durkin points to the shooting death of a 54-year-old woman on the city’s West Side last year as a perfect example. The victim was an innocent bystander when caught in the middle of a shootout between two men in the 4900 block of West Gladys that started when the two got into an argument during a soured drug deal.

Travis Andrews admitted to authorities that he fired twice in the gun fight. It was his intended target  – when returning fire – who hit and fatally wounded the female victim. Under the guidelines of the SAFE-T Act, Andrews, who also has several prior convictions, including for aggravated battery, will not be charged with first-degree murder.

“The woman was murdered in the streets of Chicago, yet Democrats think the person who started the gunfire only committed a weapons violation,” Durkin said. “This scenario will surely play out over and over again. At drug deals, gang conflicts with bullets flying and hitting unattended victims, like we see here, or what we often see on a daily basis, where children playing in the park or their front yards are shot because of a gang rivalry.”

Durkin laments it all signals just one thing.

“Illinois has become a nearly lawless state when it comes to crime,” he said. “We see offender after offender freed while awaiting trial. We see headlines every day of shootings and killings, violent attacks on retailers and yet the Democrats keep denying that there is a problem. We have a governor, JB Pritzker, who is more concerned about masking children than unmasking criminals.”

The Legislative Black Caucus, who supported the bill, issued a statement after the Republicans' press conference, defending the measure.

“Many provisions of the SAFE-T Act have not even gone into effect yet, proving the Republican gambit is all for show,” members claimed.