Lee County Sheriff Clay Whelan has come out in opposition to proposed legislation he called soft on crime. He also said the legislation does nothing to make Illinois citizens safer.
One of the pieces of legislation would not allow an officer to file an Aggravated Battery to a Peace Officer charge if the suspect is believed to be having a mental episode. Whelan said a person still needs to be held accountable.
Another would allow a sexual predator from 500 feet to 250 feet of a school. Whelan asks how is splitting that in half-safe for the kids.
Another would change a first-degree murder charge to second-degree murder and decriminalize prostitution.
Whelan said when he first became an officer, if you committed a felony, you could expect jail time. That is not the case anymore.
For the citizens, they need to be watchful for this legislation and file what is called Witness Slips with Representatives and Senators.
