East Central Reporter

Some lawmakers in Illinois want to classify attacks on law enforcement as a hate crime through legislation supported by state Rep. Chris Miller (R-Oakland) who said any step taken to restore law and order "is a good thing."

The bill, otherwise known as "The Police Protection Act," would make it a Class 3 Felony to target police officers. 

"One of the things that makes us different from a lot of other nations is we are ruled by law, and if you don't have a high standard of conduct you have chaos. That's a part of what we're seeing now under Biden and Pritzker," Miller told the East Central Reporter. "We're seeing 50 and 60 people shot a week in Chicago and that won't change until we get back to law and order."

FBI statistics showed assaults on police officers were up by about 4,000 last year with more than 60,000 officers falling victim while they were on the job ABC 7 Chicago reported. 

"It's a travesty to see all the attacks on officer, the very people there to protect us and Biden and Pritzker are leading the charge when it comes to the disrespect they face," Miller said.

However, the American Civil Liberties Union has criticized the bill and said increasing penalties for a crime doesn't reduce a problem or fix the one it's trying to address, according to Illinois News Today.

"Being the parent of seven children, I don't believe that to be true," Miller said. "I've found if there are consequences to bad behavior it changes. If there are consequences attached to bad behavior, the bad behavior goes away. They will never convince me of anything differently."

According to the Washington News Post, state Rep. Marty Moylan (D-Des Plaines) sponsored the legislation that would make it a hate crime in Illinois to commit an act of violence against a police officer. 

Supporters of the bill have also hinted at legislation that would provide $100 million to help police officers through equipment and training, ABC 7 Chicago reported.