Professional Policing Assistance Request

La Grange IL

13 January, 2022

6:10 PM

Description

Follow Chief Weitzel on Twitter @chiefweitzel Chief Thomas Q. Weitzel (ret.), M.S., C.P.C. January 4, 2022 The Honorable J.B. Pritzker, Governor Office of the Governor 207 Statehouse Springfield, Illinois 62706 Re: Professional Policing Assistance Request Dear Governor Pritzker: I am writing you under deeply upsetting circumstances. As you know, crime in the major metropolitan areas throughout the state, specifically Chicago, the Chicago metro area and other major metropolitan areas, is spreading rapidly all over our state including suburban communities, Central Illinois, Southern Illinois, and even small farming communities. The last few weeks have been shocking to me – murders, drive-by shootings, stabbings, gang incidents, car jackings, and the brutal killing of police officers in the line of duty. The epidemic of killing police officers is completely detestable. In the past few weeks, there was a Wayne County Sheriff's police officer shot and killed Wayne County, IL Sheriff Deputy killed, a Bradley, Illinois police officer shot and killed and a second Bradley police officer in serious condition with bullet wounds Bradley, Il Sergeant killed and Officer shot-. Additionally, as you are well aware, the city had the brutal murder of Chicago Police Officer Ella French in August of 2021 CPD Ella French Murder. This wave of violent crime is completely unacceptable, and we need to act immediately to restore public safety and ensure that our cities, town and village residents once again feel safe walking and sitting outside in their neighborhoods. The rapid violence we are experiencing threatens all of us. We need to ensure that Illinois is welcoming and inviting to everyone who lives and visits here. Police agencies throughout the state, including the state police, and sheriff's agencies are doing everything they can to respond to this violent crime wave and have instituted many proactive police policies. Unfortunately, our police departments throughout Illinois are stretched thin, with many officers retiring, leaving the profession early, or simply not even applying for police positions due to widespread negative portrayal of law enforcement PERF survey and recruiting article. The atrocious defund the police and other such negative rhetoric has played a very disparaging role in hiring new recruits to our profession. Governor, there are many new pieces of legislation due in 2022 and 2023 under Public Act, 101-0652, commonly referred to as the SAFE-T Act ILACP information guide, and I implore you to support an initiative or legislation to take a closer look at these state mandated statutes before more police officers are killed and more officers leave our state for other employment. If there is a negative change to the Qualified Immunity Act for Illinois police officers, I assure you officers will quit to seek employment in other states that are actively recruiting Illinois officers; and for those who stay – in my opinion, it is likely complacency will set in, and there will be no proactive policing. I also ask that you support House Bill 4176 HB 4176, which would restrict the Cook County State's Attorney's Office from rejecting felony charges. There is no doubt the current Cook County State's Attorney, Kim Foxx, has political ideology in rejecting or approving felony charges in Cook County. Additionally, the Bond Court in Cook County is an abysmal failure Cook County Bond Court-CWBChicago.com. There are countless bond hearings that have occurred over the last year where defendants are being released when they should not be – and some in extremely aggravated circumstances. I respectfully request that you support the Illinois Association of Chiefs of Police (ILACP) commonsense approach through their criminal justice reform proposals (Trailer Bill 2). This included the trailer bill that was not voted on as of January 4, 2022. I, for one, am willing to help quell this surge in violence and rebuild the public's confidence and the safety of our state. Please let me know the next steps to begin the process of working collaboratively with police chiefs, sheriffs, superintendents, and the Illinois Association of Chiefs of Police Legislative Committee. While I do not speak for the ILACP Legislative Committee, I am a retired police chief from Riverside, Illinois and know their priorities well. Respectfully submitted, Tom Weitzel Chief Thomas Weitzel (Ret.) C: State Representative Michael Zalewski, 23rd District (D) Riverside Ed Wojcicki, ILACP Executive Director Chief Mitchell Davis, President, Illinois Police Chief Association and Hazel Crest Chief Matthew Buckley, Public Safety Director, Riverside Chief Don Barber, Bradley Police Chief Superintendent David Brown, Chicago Police Sheriff Chris Otey, Wayne County Sheriff Sheriff Brian VanVickle, President Illinois Sheriff Association and Ogle County Sheriff About Tom Weitzel-Tom Weitzel retired from the Riverside, Illinois Police Department on May 20, 2021 after 37 years in law enforcement, 13 years as Chief of Police. Opinions are my own. All views expressed in this letter are my own and do not represent the opinions of any entity whatsoever with which I have been, am now, or will be affiliated.