Metro East Sun

State Rep. Amy Elik (R-Fosterburg) said recently that deaths resulting from violence could be prevented if felons were not allowed to make bail so easily.

She dubbed new laws signed by Gov. J.B. Pritzker as anti-law enforcement, pro-criminal policies.

“Some of these fatalities could have been prevented if some of these criminals were not so easily released back on the street and if the legislature actually proved their support for crime victims by getting tough on crime,” Elik said. “Something must be done to stop the violence. The anti-law enforcement, pro-criminal policies coming from the legislature, unfortunately, won't solve the problem. These policies only make the violence worse.”

Sharing her sympathy for crime victims and their loved ones, Elik accounted for the fatalities in the past weeks.

“Over the 4th of July weekend in Chicago, 108 people were shot, 17 died. Last weekend, 40 people were shot, 11 died. That’s a total of 148 people shot in just the last two weeks and 28 lives lost,” Elik said. “Recently a new law was signed that would entirely end cash bail in the next two years. This law should be repealed immediately. Cook County has lowered its bail requirements and we see the results — an increase in violent crime.”

House Bill 3653, a bill ending the cash bail system was signed by the governor in the first quarter of the year and he said that he “was proud to make ending cash bail and modernizing sentencing laws a legislative priority of my administration." The legislation designed to reform the state’s criminal system includes creating a Resentencing Task Force that will study ways to reduce the prison population in Illinois.

“All the talk about defunding our police and making it more difficult for law enforcement to do their job must end today,” Elik said. “Law enforcement needs our support, crime victims need our support. The Illinois legislature is getting too soft on crime. It's time for the legislature to back our men and women in blue and gets serious about protecting our residents' lives, property and safety.”

Police groups and citizens say stopping violence is a collaborative responsibility including addressing mental health concerns.

The community should also recognize that police are needed to mitigate the issue, according to Springfield-area minister Gary Pierce.