Carbondale Reporter

State Sen. Terri Bryant (R-Murphysboro) said Democratic lawmakers' “my-way-or-the-highway” approach to law enforcement has proven to have dire consequences for the state.

“Last January, the Democrats pushed through sweeping changes to our criminal justice system,” Bryant said at a recent news conference on the subject of legislation now being re-filed by Senate Republicans with the goal of aiding officers. “They pushed through those changes in the middle of the night without public or law enforcement input and a year later we can safely say that their approach has failed. The governor and his legislative allies sent a clear signal, the voice of law enforcement was not welcome at the table.” 

Citing a 20% vacancy rate at local police departments, House Republicans are now seeking to repeal the SAFE-T Act, which includes such changes to the criminal justice system as the elimination of the cash bail system and changes to the way allegations of police misconduct are handled.  

“As I've listened to my colleagues here talking, I just want to remind all of you that in the region where I live just a few months ago Deputy Sheriff Sean Riley from the Wayne County Sheriff's Department was shot to death when he stopped for what he thought was a distressed motorist,” Bryant said.  “He was shot and his body was thrown into a ditch. That’s just a few miles away from where my daughter and my grandchildren live, and where my son-in-law served as a deputy sheriff for Jefferson County for several years. I don't know if my son-in-law would ever go back to law enforcement. And that's because of the way we treat our law enforcement officers.”

State Rep. Deanne Mazzochi (R-Westmont), who is also supporting repeal efforts, said since the passage of SAFE-T crime has soared across the state.

“We warned you that this would make crime even worse,” she said. “Welcome to reality.”