Crime surge, police exodus put Illinois criminal justice reforms in crosshairs

By Dylan Sharkey

01/24/2022

Eliminating cash bail and regulating police officers were parts of Illinois’ SAFE-T Act that some lawmakers blame for a rise in crime and loss of police officers. Republican state lawmakers want it repealed, while Democrats say it just needs tweaks.

TAGS: Chicago, crime, police, SAFE-T Act

In the wake of George Floyd’s death, Springfield has essential work to do

By Austin Berg

06/05/2020

Illinois lawmakers cannot afford to delay action in the wake of George Floyd’s death.

TAGS: BLM: Black Lives Matter, criminal justice reform, Curtis Tarver, Don Harmon, George Floyd, JB Pritzker, Justin Slaughter, Kam Buckner, labor, Lamont Robinson, Maurice West, Mike Madigan, police, police misconduct

Pritzker threatens local police who don’t enforce his stay-at-home order

05/21/2020

The governor has made a series of threats against business owners and officials to force compliance with his executive order.

TAGS: coronavirus, COVID-19, executive order, police

Leaving child Home Alone could land parents in jail this holiday season

12/19/2019

Illinois’ restrictive and vague laws could mean arrest for parents who leave their kids at home while they run a quick holiday errand.

TAGS: Chicago, Christmas, Corey Widen, criminal justice reform, Illinois House of Representatives, Illinois Senate, lawmakers, Natasha Felix, overcriminalization, police, Wilmette, Winnetka

Nearly 100 Lake County municipal retirees are pension millionaires

By Austin Berg

08/07/2018

Lake County residents pay some of the highest property taxes in the nation – a burden driven by the growth in pension costs over the last 20 years.

TAGS: 401(k), IMRF: Illinois Municipal Retirement Fund, Lake County, municipal pensions, pension guarantee, pensions, police, property taxes, taxes

Retired police official to keep $84K pension despite sexual assault of a minor

By Vincent Caruso

05/21/2018

A criminal sexual assault conviction will not interfere with a retired suburban deputy police chief’s $84,000 annual pension.

TAGS: Lake in the Hills, pensions, police

Chicago Police Department audit reveals millions lost in overtime abuse and waste

By Brendan Bakala

10/04/2017

The city’s police department has gone over budget for overtime every year for the past six years, costing Chicago taxpayers $575 million in spending for overtime pay.

TAGS: Chicago, CPD: Chicago Police Department, criminal justice reform, police, police misconduct

Nearly 240 Cook County correctional officers call in sick for Super Bowl

By Brendan Bakala

02/06/2017

Super Sunday sees 239 corrections officers – or 19 percent of the staff assigned to work that day – call in sick despite pleas to officers ahead of time from the Cook County Sheriff’s office.

TAGS: Chicago, Cook County, police

Rauner reaches contract deal with conservation police officers union

By Mailee Smith

01/10/2017

Gov. Bruce Rauner’s agreement on a contract with the Fraternal Order of Police Labor Council for conservation police officers, as well as 19 other Illinois government-worker unions, demonstrates that it is AFSCME – and not the governor – that is standing in the way of a fair contract for Illinois’ largest group of state workers.

TAGS: AFSCME: American Federation of State County and Municipal Employees, Bruce Rauner, Fraternal Order of Police Labor Council, police

Chicago Police Department cannot avoid requests for private emails under Illinois’ Freedom of Information Act

By Joe Tabor

08/31/2016

According to a ruling from Illinois’ attorney general, government employees cannot conceal work-related communication on private email, despite the Chicago Police Department’s arguments for it.

TAGS: CPD: Chicago Police Department, criminal justice reform, FOIA: Freedom of Information Act, police

Unlocking Opportunity: How Occupational Licensing Reform Would Promote Equitable Empowerment in Illinois

Illinois finds itself at a crossroads: will it empower minorities and poor people to unleash their potential, or will it perpetuate an inequitable status quo? For far too many Illinoisans, opportunity is unfairly and unnecessarily out of reach. Illinois ranks in the bottom ten among all states in social mobility and last among Midwest states...

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Unlocking Opportunity: How Occupational Licensing Reform Would Promote Equitable Empowerment in Illinois

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Martin Sahagun

Process for unionizing non-state workers raises red flags

CBS Chicago: Illinois’ highest-paid superintendent receives $400K per year to oversee 1,200 students