Sheriffs quitting after police “reform” bill passes, effectively tying the hands of cops and protecting criminals
Sheriffs quitting after police “reform” bill passes, effectively tying the hands of cops and protecting criminals
Posted by: Pat Droney|
A sheriff in Union County, Illinois has become at least the fourth sheriff in the state to turn in his badge after the state implemented something called the “Safe-T Act,” an anti-police group of measures dressed up with in the guise of “police reform.”
Union County, located in a rural area in the southern tip of the state, consists of 10 sworn deputies, currently dealing with an increasing number of meth-related drug offenses and psych cases that are typical in smaller communities, according to The Epoch Times.
Law enforcement in such areas are typically put in the position of having to wear multiple hats because resources, widely available in urban and suburban areas are hard to come by in smaller rural towns.
One might think that a state with the resources that Illinois done might do more to help such small agencies, however instead Democrats in Springfield, the state capital, make things much more difficult. And Sheriff Scott Harvel has seen enough.
After the legislature passed the “reform” act, Harvel said that he is no longer able to do the job he was sworn to do, that is protect the safety and welfare of county residents. So, after 34 years as a law enforcement officer, Harvel has submitted his resignation effective August 15, months before his term ends.
“My hope and prayers are that things come around and we get more support, but I don’t think we are going to see that happen for a long time,” Harvel told the Times.
The outlet reports that at least three other rural sheriffs in the central and southern parts of the state have decided to retire early as a direct result of the ill-conceived law, which will significantly tie the hands of law enforcement and make their job much more difficult.
All told, some 11 sheriffs statewide have decided to quit prior to the end of their elected terms following Gov. J.B. Pritzker (D) signing the legislation into law, according to Illinois Sheriff’s Association Executive Director Jim Katschuk.
The legislation bought into the nationwide craze among Democrats to “reimagine” or “reform” criminal justice, with many of the new requirements put in place to specifically tie the hands of law enforcement officials. In an era where crime spirals out of control, tying the hands of cops is ill-conceived and reckless.
The legislation, parts of which don’t go into effect until 2023, includes provisions allowing anonymous complaints against police officers, removes qualified immunity which opens the door to civil penalties against officers for practice violations (previously it was only for civil rights violations) and prohibits officers from arresting offenders for Class B and C misdemeanors.
“If someone trespasses [on] your property and refuses to leave, police cannot arrest the offender to protect you. I don’t want to be that sheriff that has to leave a resident in that kind of situation and say, ‘I am sorry. There is nothing I can do for you,’” Harvel said.
A number of major Illinois law enforcement organizations have slammed the SAFE-T Act, referring to it as a “monster bill” that allows criminals to run rampant and instead punishing police officers for trying to do their jobs.
A subsequent bill was passed, designed to address some of the police concerns within the bill, however Harvel said the basics of the act remain.
“When we have no ability to enforce the law, when we start going down that road, what will happen next?” he asked.
In June, Sheriff Don Koonce of the Shelby County sheriff’s office announced his resignation, also due to the SAFE-T Act.
“This decision wasn’t easy for me, but it was reaffirmed by the imminent changes in police reform,” Coons wrote in his resignation letter, reported by WAND-17. “I hope the Illinois General Assembly digs deeper into this reform and makes drastic changes. People’s security is at stake.”
Koonce said that it “was a pleasure and an honor” to serve Shelby County’s citizens, and he was blessed to work with outstanding men and women in the department.
Back in Union County, Harvel said the act has had a devastating effect on his deputies, noting that a young patrol officer in the office quit shortly after the act was passed. He noted a few more were also thinking of leaving to take positions with police agencies in other states. One other long-serving officer has decided he will retire in just over a year due to the act.
So what happens when these positions go vacant? Harvel thinks it will be difficult, if not impossible to fill the positions. He noted police hiring has been on a downward trend for years, and the new legislation will only make it worse.
That mirrors a nationwide trend where police agencies are having trouble attracting recruits in the wake of lack of support from political leaders and the escalation of attacks on police officers. He noted that only two people have applied for the most recent opening in his office.
“I used to have people knocking on the door to come work at the sheriff’s office. It was a great, great place to work. Now I have nobody,” Harvel said. “Think about a world without police officers. How would we function? That’s a scary thought.”
It’s also a dream of people like Ayanna Pressley (D-MA), Ilhan Omar (D-MN), Rashida Tlaib (D-MI), and others.
Law Enforcement Today previously reported on the “reform” bill passed in Illinois and how dangerous it is for state residents and police officers. For more on that, we invite you to:
DIG DEEPER AT LAW ENFORCEMENT TODAY:
SPRINGFIELD, IL – In the early morning hours under the cover of darkness, the Illinois Senate passed a controversial, quietly renamed police reform bill which one police chief says will lead to “mass retirements and resignations in police departments across Illinois.”