Peoria Standard

The heavily debated SAFE-T Act is set to go into effect on Jan. 1. Since its inception, the SAFE-T Act has received pushback from law enforcement, police unions and elected representatives, mainly Republicans. Over the past month, Democrat state’s attorneys have joined the discussion and called for the repealing of the SAFE-T Act. As the discussion of the SAFE-T Act continues to be elevated before the election in November, state level candidates and elected leaders are calling attention to parts of the bill that affect law enforcement’s ability to do their job.

“When a society takes power away from their law enforcement, it does not go to the residents or the government – instead, the power is shifted to the criminals," said Desi Anderson, Republican candidate for Illinois State Senate, District 46. "The SAFE-T Act blatantly restricts police officers from doing their jobs. Crime is becoming more rampant and more brutal, and police officers need protection now more than ever."

As she travels the district, Anderson talks to law officers about the struggles they are having, the candidate said.

"They tell me how the best officers do not want recognition or medals, they just want to know they  have the support of their elected political leaders," she said. "Anyone who supports this bill, like my opponent, are turning their backs on law enforcement while crime continues to spiral out of control. I will always support our police and show them my respect for risking their lives for their communities.”

The Illinois Criminal Justice Information Authority website states that the SAFE-T Act enacts  extensive reform impacting many areas of the criminal justice system, including pre-arrest diversion, policing, pretrial, sentencing and corrections.

The most contested aspect of the SAFE-T Act is that it will eliminate cash bail in the state of Illinois. The bill noted it will be “presumed that a defendant is entitled to release on personal recognizance” and may be detained thereafter if they violate certain conditions listed in 725 ILCS 5/110-2.

Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker defended the elimination of cash bail, according to The Center Square. 

"We do not want someone in jail because they were arrested for a low-level crime like shoplifting to be sitting in jail for months or maybe even years," Pritzker said. "At the same time, someone who is a wealthy drug dealer, perhaps accused of murder and arrested, can show up with a suitcase full of money and get out of jail."

The website Police 1 reported that among of the major provisions of the SAFE-T Act is one that restricts the use of force officers can use while pursuing an offender or making an arrest if the  officer reasonably believes the person can be apprehended at a later date. It will be illegal for law enforcement to shoot a taser at someone’s back, pelvis and head, which currently is a "recommended target" in all police officer training.

Body cameras will be made mandatory for all law enforcement agencies by 2025, whether funding is made available. The Illinois attorney general will be able to impose a civil penalty against an individual officer – up to $25,000 for a first offense and $50,000 for a second offense. Officers cannot make custodial arrests for Class B misdemeanors, which would include criminal trespass and window peekers. Instead of making an arrest, officers will be required to issue a citation and does not have the authority to remove a person from private or public property unless they are acting in a threatening manner.

SafeWise's annual 2022 State of Safety survey found that only 42% of Illinois residents report feeling safe, while 64% reported feeling "high daily concern" for their safety. Thirteen percent of respondents reported experiencing gun violence firsthand, an increase from 8% the previous year. Mass shooting incidents in Illinois increased by 25% from 2020 to 2021.

Anderson is a small business owner with her husband Nick and mother to a 1 year old, her campaign biography said. Most will find it hard to relate to her upbringing as she was abandoned as a baby in the Eastern Bloc of communist Europe in Bulgaria. She went on to graduate from Indiana University with a double major degree. Anderson’s goal now is to be a unifying voice in elected office and fight back against the political corruption that has taken hold in Illinois.