Will County Gazette

Illinois House Republican Leader Jim Durkin has criticized Gov. JB Pritzker (D-IL) and his fellow Democrats for what he called a "continuing lack of respect" and "attack on our police officers."

Durkin (R-Dist. 82) spoke out against the recent decision by Pritzker and the state's Prisoner Review Board to release Kensley Hawkins, who was convicted and sentenced to 95 years in prison for the murder of a 65-year-old man and a week later shooting then-Chicago Police Officer Robert Mizera in 1980. Pritzker commuted his sentence last year.

"I've said over the past year that Gov. Prtizker has created a consequence-free state of Illinois for criminals, cold-blooded murderers and street gangs," Durkin said during a recent press conference, quoted by the Will County Gazette. 

Durkin added that Pritzker showed his stance on law enforcement when he signed the Safety, Accountability, Fairness and Equity-Today (SAFE-T) Act—known as the "defund the police" act—into law. He also felt the administration has displayed "a disregard for the victims of violent crimes" with the release of prisoners such as Hawkins. 

"His disregard for the pain and tragedy victims have endured is astonishing," Durkin said. "No administration has treated criminals convicted of murdering police officers and attempted murder of a police officer with kid gloves that J.B. Prtizker has. His actions show that he has no respect for law enforcement and that's part of a very disturbing Narrative of which we've become accustomed to in Illinois." 

Durkin pointed to House Bill 5126, which he introduced to bring changes to the Prisoner Review Board. He said the legislation would require clemency recommendations the board makes to the governor to become public record and therefore subject to the Freedom of Information Act. 

"We need transparency" Durkin said. "We need accountability. We need this legislation now more than ever to reign in a thoughtless prisoner review board, but also to reign in a governor who prioritizes criminals over the police."

The SAFE-T Act was passed in January 2021 with little debate, a recent report from The Center Square said. The law makes sweeping changes to the state's criminal justice system. 

The Lake & McHenry County Scanner reported that the House of Representatives passed a follow-up bill that gives people on house arrest periods of monitoring-free movement two days a week so they could complete "essential tasks."

State Sen. Dan Fowler (R-Harrisburg) told The Center Square he believes some provisions of the law are driving people away from law enforcement—including forcing some officers to retire early and deterring students from pursuing the career field at all.