Kane County Reporter

In the wake of a rising crime rate in the state, Illinois Senate Republicans recently held a press conference to announced a number of proposals to strengthen penalties for certain crimes and provide support measures for law enforcement Republicans claim were taken away as the SAFE-T Act was passed. 

Sen. Dan McConchie (R-Lake Zurich) recounted a meeting with a constituent concerned about law enforcement not getting enough support.

"In early December I was at an event in downtown Chicago when I was approached by a gentleman, he was a Realtor, he proceeded to tell me that he was friends with the Chicago police officer Carlos Yanez Junior, who was shot in the line of duty. He was partner to slain police officer Ella French," McConchie said. "This gentleman was the one who put together – you may have seen on the news – the clips of a big welcome party outside the Shirley Ryan AbilityLab. This gentleman, after two months of being in the hospital and being in rehab was finally able to leave to go home to continue his rehab at home. And there were hundreds of people outside that hospital thanking him for his service. This Realtor told me that he had put that together because he wanted Officer Yanez to know how much he has appreciated him and the love for his sacrifice. He also told me that enough was enough. He told me that we need to keep fighting for them."

The Republican proposals do not have any filed bills yet. Republican spokesperson Ellie Leonard said that the party is waiting to see which bills receive support from committee, and then they will include those proposals in a technical bill.

"Look, we're not saying that we have all the answers to stop crime in its entirety," McConchie said. "We are saying we have good ideas, ideas that are derived from the law enforcement community itself."

A part of the proposal would include asking for $125 million in grants that would go toward the rehiring, hiring, and training of law enforcement officers.

"The Senate Republicans have been here calling our colleagues from across the aisle to work with us, to listen, to us to listen to the men and women who are on the streets combating this crime wave first-hand," McConchie said. "If they don't listen to us then they should at least listen to people throughout the state who are begging for an end to the violence."

House Republicans are also moving toward filing legislation to repeal the SAFE-T Act.

"We need more Democrats to come forward and join us and say let's change course before more dangerous people get off easy and are back out on the streets after committing serious crimes," said state Rep. Dan Ugaste (R-St. Charles). "Let's change course before more people die."