A former Illinois police chief has criticized the SAFE-T Act, arguing that it is undermining public safety and limiting the ability of law enforcement and prosecutors to detain violent offenders. Tom Weitzel, who served 37 years in law enforcement including 13 as Chief of Police in Riverside, Illinois, described his concerns in a recent statement.

Weitzel pointed to a recent incident involving a repeat offender who assaulted a nurse at MacNeal Hospital and was later involved in another violent attack on the Blue Line. He explained that although aggravated battery qualifies for detention under the SAFE-T Act’s “great bodily harm” standard, a Cook County judge released the suspect due to a provision requiring prosecutors to prove that no condition of release could mitigate risk. According t

See Full Page