Anti-police invective and legislation like the SAFE-T Act and Consent Decree have made conditions less safe for police officers, witnesses and victims. It’s time to do something about it.
On June 5th, Chicago Police Officer Krystal Rivera became the latest member of the Chicago Police Department (CPD) slain in the line of duty when she was accidentally shot by a fellow officer as they pursued an armed suspect. During the pursuit, a second suspect pointed a rifle at officers. The details surrounding the shooting do not change the obvious facts that state and local leaders are ignoring the fact the number of offenders shooting at Police Officers has nearly quintupled since the Consent Decree took effect.
There is no provision in the so-called SAFE-T Act — nor any city ordinance — that sends a clear, uncompromising message that shooting at police officers or threatening witnesses and victims will bring swift and serious consequences. What message do we send when our laws fail to punish those who target officers or intimidate witnesses? When criminals feel emboldened, officers and communities pay the price.
Does anyone seriously believe there isn’t a growing perception among criminals that it’s not “open season” on CPD? This rise in attacks on officers is no accident. It is the direct result of decisions made by elected officials who have shackled proactive policing, undermined accountability, and signaled that violent offenders can act with impunity. Under the tenure of Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle, pretrial release has become the norm — even for those charged with serious violent crimes.
According to data compiled by CWB Chicago, nearly 20 percent of those arrested and charged with felonies were out of jail on pretrial release while awaiting trial on other felony charges. CWB has now documented over 400 individuals arrested for murder or attempted murder since 2020 who were already out on pretrial release for other felony crimes, including suspects who were taken into custody for allegedly shooting at police officers. Given the abysmal clearance rate, the actual number may be four to five times higher. How is that justice?
Adding to this is the relentless demonization of the police, fueled by what can only be called the criminal-industrial complex — an entire network of nonprofits, activists, politicians, and media outlets profiting from a narrative that treats criminals as victims and law enforcement as the enemy. The result? In the past four years alone, over 300 Chicago police officers have been targeted for attack by criminals with a firearm. In the same period, more than 40 officers have been wounded by gunfire and eight have been murdered.
Even when officers are shot, media outlets and criminal justice reformers downplay the offenders’ criminal history while amplifying any complaint filed against the officer — however routine or baseless. The rush to judgment is automatic: Police are declared guilty and criminals are victims. Here’s what Chicago media refuses to report: The number of instances that officers use deadly force in has dropped by over 80 percent.
The stubborn fact is that police-involved shootings are now at historic lows, while shootings of police officers are at historic highs. So much for the narrative that the police are the problem. It’s important to note that the dramatic decline in police shootings occurred before the Consent Decree. By contrast, the dramatic increase in the number of instances in which police are shot at each year, along with a significant rise in assaults on officers, has occurred since the Consent Decree was implemented.
This culture of de-policing has not only made policing in Chicago more dangerous, it’s made residents less safe. Witnesses and victims are increasingly reluctant to come forward, fearing retaliation in a system that no longer seems capable — or even willing — to protect them. The consequences are measurable: Clearance rates for violent crimes remain abysmally low. Since 2017, only 33 percent of murders and five percent of shootings have been cleared, with only half the “cleared” murder cases resulting in an actual arrest.
The damage caused by pre-trial release has been aggravated by the Cook County Sheriff’s Office’s failure to address the 40,000 unserved arrest warrants, while also failing to enforce 75 percent of the Orders of Protection granted to victims of domestic violence. The suspect who pointed the rifle at Officer Rivera and others in pursuit had six warrants and a revoked FOID card due to domestic battery charges. He had an arrest warrant with Cook County since July 2024.
The damage is further aggravated by other inept policies initiated by the Pretrial Fairness Act’s provision that does not revoke bail for offenders who have been charged with felonies, and who now send “post cards” instead of issuing warrants to those who have fled the justice system and missed court dates. In year one of the Pre-Trial Fairness Act, the Cook County Clerk of the Court was ordered to send 60,000 “post cards” to defendants who had skipped their court date, extended their “Get out of Jail Free Card,” and offered them a new date to appear in court.
Is it a coincidence that since the SAFE-T Act and the embrace of pre-trial release there has been a dramatic increase in domestic violence? In 2023, Cook County saw 13,969 victims of violent crimes such as assault, battery, criminal sexual assault, robbery, and homicide — an alarming 26 percent increase over the average of the previous three years. That same year, Illinois saw a 110 percent increase in domestic violence deaths.
Nowhere is the impact of police being unable to protect residents clearer in the age of pre-trial release and restraints placed on proactive policing than in the murder and other violent crime clearance rates among Chicago’s Black community. Blacks in Chicago account for almost 80 percent of the city’s murders annually and, more specifically, Black women constitute 30 percent of victims of violent crime.
Residents in high-crime communities are far less willing to cooperate with police to help close cases — not because they fear the police — but because they know the police are unable to protect them.
Is it really too much to ask the Illinois General Assembly (IGA) to take this crisis seriously? Is it unreasonable to expect that protecting police officers, first responders, victims, and witnesses be a top priority for our state and local leaders?
Governor J.B. Pritzker should demand the Illinois General Assembly amend the SAFE-T Act to mandate that anyone who shoots at, attacks, or threatens a police officer, crime witness, or victims will have their bail immediately withdrawn and be subject to mandatory pretrial detention. In the meantime, local leaders should not wait for Springfield to act but implement their own such measures on charging crimes, awarding bail, and sentencing.
The selection of Larry Snelling as CPD Superintendent and the election of Eileen O’Neill Burke as Cook County State’s Attorney has been a Godsend. Their close coordination has dramatically increased the number of violent criminals being kept off the streets and has been largely responsible for the drop in murders and shootings. However, much more can be done locally to protect all police, all first responders, and all witnesses and victims of crime.
It’s time for Cook County to do away with the “Get out of Jail” post cards and revoke bail for those who fail to appear for their trial date. It’s equally important that the Cook County Sheriff’s Office serve and fully enforce “Orders of Protection” and outstanding warrants, while ensuring that CPD officers have access to information on who has outstanding warrants. Lack of information on who is sought by the court places officers' lives in grave danger, for CPD is far more likely than any other law enforcement agency to come across individuals sought by the justice system at traffic or investigatory stops.
Chicago can and should enact its own Public Safety Ordinance under Home Rule authority. This ordinance can impose up to 364 days in jail, fines, and probation for anyone who threatens or assaults a police officer or first responder, intimidates a witness or victim, or engages in domestic violence or hate crimes. Bail can be denied. Cases can be prosecuted by the City Law Department, civil penalties imposed, and lawsuits filed to recover damages. The city doesn’t have to be helpless.
Chicago should also create and fund a Witness Protection and Victim Support Program. Funding for this program can come from criminal asset forfeiture, fines, and a newly enacted Nuisance Ordinance that holds accountable anyone who disrupts commerce, damages property, threatens first responders, or incites violence. This ordinance should also give Chicago the authority to seize funds at the time of arrest to cover unpaid fines and support lawsuits to recover costs and city expenses.
There must be zero tolerance for anyone who threatens a police officer or retaliates against a witness or victim. These individuals are not just essential to public safety — they are a lifeline to justice. Officers put themselves in harm’s way every day to protect the public. Witnesses and victims who step forward do so at great personal risk. They deserve more than empty gestures, vague commitments, prayers, and condolences. They deserve protection.
It’s long past time for city and state leaders to stop catering to activist rhetoric and start standing with those who protect and serve — and those brave enough to speak up against violent criminals. Protecting police, witnesses, and victims isn’t too much to ask. It’s the bare minimum for a functioning justice system.
