Peoria - A trio of public safety measures were signed into law Tuesday, which will empower crime survivors, protect victims and address the root causes of crime while also helping law enforcement recruit qualified officers.

One new law, formerly House Bill 4736, authorizes the creation and funding of the Co-Responders Pilot Program. The pilot will support police in areas across the state in teaming up with social service agencies to address the root causes of disturbances or crime. Initial programs will launch in Peoria, Springfield, East St. Louis, and Waukegan in the next six months. The new law also creates a grant program to create tip hotlines or other victim and witness resources. 

“Everyone in every zip code should feel comfortable being able to walk down the street,” said State Senator Robert Peters (D-Chicago). “No matter where you are, who you are or where you live you should deserve to feel comfortable and safe. This measure does that by expanding witness protection and by incorporating the voices and needs of stakeholders and survivors.”

SPRINGFIELD – Illinois has a new law on the books to recruit and retain police officers, thanks to the support of State Senator Michael E. Hastings.

Hastings (D-Frankfort) serves as the chief cosponsor of House Bill 3863 signed into law on Tuesday, which creates the Law Enforcement Recruitment and Retention Fund to aid municipalities, higher education facilities, and other nonprofits in the recruitment and retention of law enforcement officers.

“Our law enforcement officers are on the front lines keeping our communities safe,” Hastings said. “Ensuring our police departments are adequately staffed is a key component of giving these brave men and women the tools to perform their jobs.”

ELGIN - State Senator Cristina Castro supported a new law signed Tuesday that creates the Crime Reduction Task Force to address rising rates of crime throughout the state.

“Many of our neighbors are concerned about violence in our communities,” said Castro (D-Elgin). “That’s why my colleagues in the General Assembly and I prioritized public safety measures this year to keep Illinoisans safe by addressing the root causes of violence.”

The Crime Reduction Task Force will be made up of a bipartisan group of senators and representatives, alongside law enforcement, advocates, legal and criminal justice professionals, and survivors tasked with exploring ways to reduce crime in Illinois and presenting a report to the General Assembly and governor with their findings.

SPRINGFIELD – State Senator Julie Morrison’s (D-Lake Forest) newly signed law will provide police officers with additional tools and training opportunities to help keep communities safe. 

“One message that I frequently hear across the district is that public safety and a rise in crime continue to be a major concern,” Morrison said. “Yet staffing shortages are hindering police from best protecting their communities.

Morrison championed House Bill 3863, which creates the Law Enforcement Recruitment and Retention Fund to support departments through the hiring and training processes and help with retention strategies.

The measure will provide grants to law enforcement agencies for hiring and retention of officers. Funds could also be used for mental health care for officers, safety equipment and training, or improvements in jails. Mental health services for inmates could also be funded through this grant.

“This law will help keep our communities safer,” Morrison said. “These efforts support the valuable work that law enforcement does in our communities and in our state every day and every hour.”

Morrison’s House Bill 3863 was signed into law Tuesday and takes effect immediately. 

CHICAGO – Thanks to a new law supported by State Senator Cristina Pacione-Zayas, Illinois will take a hard look at addressing rising rates of crime in the state.

“The root causes of violence do not have just one fix,” said Pacione-Zayas (D-Chicago). “Having a diverse set of participants, including justice-involved members of the public, people from civil liberties and domestic violence prevention organizations and more will give survivors of violence a true seat at the table in addressing violence in our communities.”

The Crime Reduction Task Force will be made up of a bipartisan group of senators and representatives, alongside law enforcement, advocates, legal and criminal justice professionals and survivors tasked with exploring ways to reduce crime in Illinois and presenting a report to the General Assembly and governor with their findings.

Springfield - Two new measures were recently signed into law to provide greater support for law enforcement agencies to hire and retain officers. Both laws were spearheaded by State Senator Robert Martwick (D-Chicago).

“I am proud to see these new laws provide additional support to recruit the next generation of police officers,” Martwick said. “We are working to address the practical concerns of law enforcement agencies across the state.”

One new law, formerly known as House Bill 3863, will create the Law Enforcement Recruitment and Retention Fund and will aim to increase police officer retention and recruitment.  The fund will award grants for the purposes of hiring and retaining law enforcement officers.

Another law, formerly known as House Bill 1568, will also permit all law enforcement officers and parole agents who are honorably retiring in good standing to purchase their service badge and their former service firearm if they have a valid FOID card. The new law also lowers the retirement age for eligible employees from 60 to 55. The laws were part of a package advocated for by law enforcement agencies.

House Bill 3863 was signed into law on Tuesday and House Bill 1568 was signed into law Friday and both take effect immediately.

SPRINGFIELD – State Senator Doris Turner (D-Springfield) supports a newly signed law to increase police officer retention and recruitment across Illinois.

“This law gives police departments extra tools to recruit and retain quality officers to better protect and serve their communities,” said Turner. “We must work to ensure our communities have quality officers that have a clear path of advancement.”

Police departments across the nation have experienced a drop in officer retention, caused by a large hiring wave in the 1990s. Officers hired then are now at retirement age or just years away. House Bill 3863 creates the Law Enforcement Recruitment and Retention Fund to award grants to assist law enforcement agencies in hiring and retaining law enforcement officers.

"It’s time to make the necessary investments in our personnel and find ways to recruit the next generation of first responders,” Turner said. “This law shows our commitment to officers and our belief that quality officers make communities safer.”

HB 3863 was signed into law today and takes effect immediately.   

A measure giving crime survivors a new voice in public safety policy making spearheaded by State Senator Robert Peters (D-Chicago) was recently signed into law.

“I fundamentally believe that public safety must belong to the people,” Peters said. “This law will center crime survivors and put them at the center of the conversation without fear of repercussion.”

The new law will invest in community-centered public safety by creating a Crime Reduction Task Force to develop and propose ways to reduce crime across the state. The Crime Reduction Task Force will be made up of a bipartisan group of senators and representatives, alongside law enforcement, advocates, legal and criminal justice professionals and survivors of crime.

Under this new law, formerly known as HB 4736, the Illinois Criminal Justice Information Authority will establish a grant program open to organizations and units of local government to assist in the creation of anonymous tip hotlines or other systems to crime victims and witnesses. Additionally, this measure makes improvements to the state’s existing witness protection, which requires the Illinois Criminal Justice Information Authority to create a program to assist victims and witnesses who are actively aiding in the prosecution of perpetrators of certain crimes. The measure would also establish a co-responder pilot program.

“Everyone in every zip code should feel comfortable being able to walk down the street,” Peters said. “No matter where you are, who you are or where you live you should deserve to feel comfortable and safe. This measure does that by expanding witness protection and by incorporating the voices and needs of stakeholders and survivors.”

The measure was signed into law Tuesday and takes effect immediately.