Citing the urgent need to take swift action to stem the ongoing spike in violent crime across the state, Illinois Senate Deputy Minority Leader Sue Rezin (R-Morris) lends her support for the Illinois 
Senate Republican Caucus’ newly unveiled legislative package that targets violent crime and offers a critical lifeline to law enforcements efforts.
“People throughout Illinois are rightfully scared for their safety and the safety of their loved ones as they watch violent crime skyrocket,” said Sen. Rezin. “We cannot continue to sit idly by as this crime wave continues to spread and worsen.”
The legislative package includes a “Fund the Police Grant Act,” which would provide targeted grants to assist law enforcement, provide additional training, and purchase much-needed equipment, including body cameras. The senators called for greater support for the men and women tasked with protecting communities across the state, noting that police officers and sheriffs were leaving the law-enforcement profession in unprecedented numbers. In many cases, officers leaving the profession have indicated that it was, in large part, due to provisions of the so-called “SAFE-T Act,” an anti-police package rammed through by a partisan vote in the late-night hours of a lame-duck session in January 2021.
“As a mother myself, we owe it to the parents of this state to provide a safer place for them to raise their kids,” Sen. Rezin continued. “Our first step to doing that is by supporting our police and enabling them to do their jobs.”
The legislative package also contains bills to keep violent offenders off of the street, help stop the flow of illegal guns to criminals, take serious action against carjacking, provide mental health treatment to detainees, and repeal the dangerous bail provisions of the anti-police “SAFE-T Act.”
“This legislative package is critically needed if we hope to stem the current tides sweeping across Illinois,” said Sen. Rezin. “Today, our state finds itself at a crossroads. Will we continue down this path and allow violent criminals to commit crimes unabated or will we take a stand to address this statewide crisis?”
The Senate Republicans’ legislative package has the support of the Illinois Sheriffs’ Association and the Illinois Fraternal Order of Police.
To view the full text of the Senate Republicans’ package, click here.