Metro East Sun

Illinois State Sen. Christopher Belt (D-Swansea) recently voiced his opinion on new legislation that seeks to provide essential resources and assistance to crime victims.

On May 10, House Bill 4736 was signed into law by Gov. J.B. Pritzker. According to a press release from Belt's office, the new law establishes the Co-Responder Pilot Program for the East St. Louis Police Department which will focus on supporting the victims of crimes, especially crimes that cause significant trauma.

"Crime victims need to have sufficient resources to recover after a traumatic event," Belt said, according to the press release. "Bringing a pilot program to East St. Louis gives Metro East residents affected by crime access to vital resources."

"We know that building a safer Illinois means approaching crime from every possible angle," Pritzker, according to Illinois Policy. "This program combines the necessary skills of police with the specialized training of social workers and mental health professionals to address the root causes of crime compassionately and safely. This is supported by data and by what law enforcement officers on the ground are telling us about the incidents they're addressing."

The Daily Journal reports that police and social service agencies in Peoria, Springfield, East St. Louis, and Waukegan will all be participating in the $10 million pilot program.

“The general idea is for law enforcement agencies to collaborate with local social service agencies to respond together to certain mental health or domestic cases,” Illinois Association of Chiefs of Police Executive Director Ed Wojcicki said, according to Daily Journal.