Carbondale Reporter

State Rep. Paul Jacobs (R-Carbondale) says the SAFE-T Act has been disastrous for Illinois and he wants it repealed. 

“I’m sponsoring legislation that would roll back these damaging changes and restore respect to our police and law and order to our state,” Jacobs said at a recent law enforcement roundtable that was overseen by House Republican Leader Jim Durkin (R-Burr Ridge). “There were some reluctant people that voted yes, and I think in the last year as crime has jumped significantly throughout the state of Illinois, we understand why.”

Jacobs is now sponsoring legislation which seeks to fully repeal the law whose measures include ending cash bond requirements by 2023, setting up a new system to deal with abusive police officers, making body cameras mandatory for all officers and updating parameters on the use of deadly force.  

In January, the House voted 67-42 to accept a previously passed Senate amendment to House Bill 3512 that states when someone is detained, law enforcement must allow them to make up to three phone calls within three hours of being detained.

“We need to repeal the SAFE-T Act in its entirety, not nibble around the edges,” Jacobs told the South West Illinois News. “The overall idea is bad and the overall bill was bad. We must get back to being a pro-police, pro-law enforcement, public-safety state. Criminals need to know Illinois is serious about punishing perpetrators of violent crime. We can and must do better for the people of Illinois in the coming session.”

With the city of Chicago recently topping 800 murders in a year for the first time in a quarter-century, carjackings and smash and grabs on the rise, Republicans are sounding the alarm nonstop.  

"They called the bill the SAFE-T Act but in reality, it was hasty and it was in poor judgment,” state Rep. Deanne Mazzochi (R-Westmont) told ABC7 News. "We warned you that this would make crime even worse. Welcome to reality."

Democrats say they are working on a bill to make changes to SAFE-T, and encourage Republican lawmakers to join them in discussions.

Durkin appears dubious.

"Because of this quick move to make our criminal justice system part of this progressive movement, which has backfired to epic proportions, this is about them saving their seats," he said.