East Central Reporter

Rep. Miller hosted a Public Safety Roundtable event in Mattoon with law enforcement officials from the 101st District. The meeting included police chiefs and sheriffs, who discussed current legislation impacting their communities and explored potential solutions to enhance public safety.

"Hearing firsthand from law enforcement about the challenges they face helps me determine how to help them through legislation and public awareness," said Rep. Miller. One of the primary issues raised was the SAFE-T Act, particularly its elimination of cash bail and perceived lack of accountability for repeat offenders. "A recent incident talked about proves crime is increasing due to eliminating cash bail: an individual was caught breaking into a local business and was released in less than an hour only to break into the same business again," Rep. Miller noted, adding that this trend is seen across Illinois.

Law enforcement officers also highlighted a lack of funding as a significant challenge, especially for smaller communities. They pointed out insufficient state funds for body cameras and tasers, along with the high costs associated with storing body camera data on cloud-based servers. "According to one officer, his department has seen their funding for tasers cut in half," Rep. Miller stated.

The roundtable concluded with discussions on several proposed solutions:

- Broaden felony list associated with the SAFE-T Act (Class 3 or higher is automatic jail time)

- Increase state grants to help fund body cameras, redaction software, and tasers

- Invest in long-term mental health facilities to aid individuals who are not criminals

- Allow smaller communities to determine the best course of action for improving public safety

- Enable law enforcement to hold criminals accountable

- Ensure prosecutors press charges against anyone who breaks the law