Prairie State Wire

Former Chief of Detectives for Chicago Police, Eugene Roy, recently explained the exodus of officers from the Chicago Police Department (CPD) and the problems with House Bill 3653, the Safety, Accountability, Fairness and Equity-Today (SAFE-T) Act.

Roy weighed in on the legislation on Chicago's Morning Answer radio show.

"Let me throw out a couple numbers,” Roy said. “At the end of calendar year 2019, there were 13,100 - approximately - police officers on the CPD payroll. At the end of last year, there were only 11,800. Last year there were 264 officers who resigned from the police department. That means they left the police department before they were eligible for a pension. They're seeking other employment, and most of them are going to work with other law enforcement agencies. They feel betrayed."

Roy said HB 3653 complicates efforts by law enforcement to serve and protect the people of Chicago.

“We have people that are repeat violent offenders, gun offenders, they're being caught with more guns, and the state's attorney either refuses to prosecute them, or they do get arrested, and they go in front of a judge, and as long as they didn't shoot anybody, they are given a 'get out of jail free' card,” Roy said. “Literally, I mean they either get a signature bond or no cash bond required, and they walk out, and they're back doing what they were doing when they got caught with the gun.”

“You ask any police officer, 'Why is gun enforcement critical to public safety?' Roy explained. “Any experienced police officer will tell you that a convicted felon carries a gun for only one of two reasons: no. 1, to rob somebody, or no. 2, to shoot somebody. These offenders know that if they do get caught with a gun, they're going to laugh at the system, they're going to spend overnight in jail, and they're going to get cut loose the next morning."

The act will eliminate cash bail in Illinois, effective Jan. 1, 2023, releasing thousands of violent criminals back on to Illinois streets.

Supporters of the SAFE-T Act say the cash bail system is biased against alleged criminal offenders, who should remain free until proven guilty, according to Capitol News Illinois.

Republicans have called the SAFE-T Act a “de facto defund the police bill" because of the additional regulations it places on police officers.

"There's no consequences for carrying a weapon on the part of a convicted felon,” Roy said. “[Once the SAFE-T Act takes effect] I think you're going to see a further reduction in the proactive efforts by police officers, which are already on the low end. Instead of having guardians who are looking for crime and are looking to prevent crime before it happens and keep their communities and the public safe, you're going to see a generation of report takers. And report takers don't prevent crime, they only document them."

In May, DuPage County State's Attorney, Bob Berlin, joined several other state's attorneys in expressing concern over the SAFE-T Act, which Gov. J.B. Pritzker signed into law last year, Shaw Local reported. During a forum at the Eola Community Center in Aurora, Berlin said the legislation will lead to more violent criminals negatively impacting communities.

Several state's attorneys expressed concern over the legislation at a media briefing in April, according to The Center Square. One of the biggest concerns was the elimination of cash bail.

“With this new law, our hands will be tied,” one attorney said, according to The Center Square. “What sane citizen in this state would want the state’s attorney’s hands tied, the police hands tied, and give all the perks to violent offenders. That’s what this law does.”

State Sen. Dale Fowler (R-Harrisburg) said some of the provisions in the legislation are driving people away from the law enforcement field.  

“It's been very frustrating to see our law enforcement officers retire early, some of our sheriff’s retire early, and our students not wanting to go into the law enforcement field,” Fowler said, according to The Center Square.

 Cook County State's Attorney, Kim Foxx, dismissed all charges against 30% of felony defendants during her first three years in office, according to the Chicago City Wire. Foxx's office has dropped charges against people accused of murders, shootings, sex crimes and serious drug offenses.