* Press release…
Today, the Illinois Sheriffs’ Association (ISA) filed suit against Governor Jay Pritzker and the Illinois De- partment of Corrections for their refusal to accept transfers of parole violators or convicted individuals from jails across Illinois.
On March 26, Gov. Pritzker unilaterally suspended all admissions to IDOC facilities in response to the global COVID-19 pandemic. At the time, the leaders at IDOC said they needed time to prepare and install proper intake procedures to reduce the spread of the virus from inmates transferred out of County Jails. However, no such preparations have been made or implemented, despite repeated discussions between members of the ISA and IDOC
Rather than working together with the Sheriffs to find ways to uphold the law while reducing the spread of COVID-19, IDOC has simply shut its doors.
This has left the Sheriffs to bear not only the burden of protecting their detainees and county-sentenced inmates from the threat of the virus, but also those who rightfully should be in the custody of IDOC at a time when space and inmate population are critical components to battling the spread of the virus. Jails continue to accept new arrestees and manage the spread of the virus simultaneously.
Since March 26, IDOC officials have repeatedly denied requests from Sheriff’s Offices to transfer individ- uals to the agency’s custody. Currently there are 100’s of individuals being held in jails across Illinois in- stead of a state correctional facility simply because Gov. Pritzker and IDOC have decided to wall them- selves off rather than work with their fellow law enforcement partners to address the issue.
The task of safely housing detainees amid this unprecedented pandemic is challenge enough for Illinois Sheriffs without having to also shoulder IDOC’s responsibilities as well.
- Candy Dogood - Thursday, May 28, 20 @ 4:14 pm:
It’s hard to take these clowns seriously after they have refused to take the safety of the public seriously during a pandemic.
https://newschannel20.com/news/local/sheriffs-association-opposes-new-executive-order
===rather than work with their fellow law enforcement partners to address the issue.===
This is also an incredibly dumb claim to make when I would imagine there are probably hundreds if not thousands of records at this point that indicate this is non-factual.
Our downstate County Sheriffs are turning their law enforcement agencies into a politicized joke and it needs to stop.
- LawandOrder - Thursday, May 28, 20 @ 5:09 pm:
What was all that again about abdication of duty or responsibility? Who owns this?
- Concerned Dem - Thursday, May 28, 20 @ 7:27 pm:
Interesting choice calling him “Jay” Pritzker… is that meant to be some kind of dig or did the generic conservative bot that wrote this statement just have one of those weird translation issues?
- Medvale School for the Gifted - Thursday, May 28, 20 @ 8:49 pm:
The Republican background of the head of the Sheriff’s Assn is sure rearing it’s political head.
- Siualum - Thursday, May 28, 20 @ 8:54 pm:
Who would be footing the bill for the sheriff’s legal fees? County taxpayers?
- Yooper in Diaspora - Thursday, May 28, 20 @ 9:31 pm:
Can anyone answer Siualum’s Q? I’d like to know.
- DeputyDog - Thursday, May 28, 20 @ 9:54 pm:
Why do my comments never appear?
- -concerned citizen- - Friday, May 29, 20 @ 7:03 am:
The Pritzker administration has been using Covid 19 as an excuse to release inmates and parolees by the thousands when it was all part of their justice reform initiative. If that’s their goal, they should be honest and own it, not hide behind the virus. Taxpayers should be appalled and public safety is at serious risk. Chicago will have a violent summer.
- Oswego Willy - Friday, May 29, 20 @ 8:49 am:
=== by the thousands===
That’s more than one thousand.
Just asking… you have a cite for the over one thousand… multiple thousands?
Thanks.
- Oswego Willy - Friday, May 29, 20 @ 8:52 am:
This?
https://wrex.com/2020/04/28/almost-4000-inmates-released-from-il-prisons-64-charged-with-murder/
Thanks.
- -concerned citizen- - Friday, May 29, 20 @ 9:04 am:
Someone should ask the Prisoner Review Board how many early releases from parole they have granted that cited Covid-19 as the rationale. I assure you the number is staggering.
- Da Big Bad Wolf - Friday, May 29, 20 @ 9:12 am:
===I assure you the number is staggering.===
How can you assure us the “number is staggering?”
- Oswego Willy - Friday, May 29, 20 @ 9:14 am:
=== I assure you the number is staggering.===
(Sigh)
First *I* had to cite your own “thought”
Now you want me to believe, a number you abt show or prove… “it’s staggering”?
“Ok… “
Ugh