ILLINOIS (WAND) - House Bill 0724, sponsored by Curtis Tarver II, proposes giving "Conservator of Peace" power to all members of the Illinois General Assembly. This means that Illinois state representatives and senators would be able:
- (i) to arrest or cause to be arrested, with or without process, all persons who break the peace or are found violating any municipal ordinance or any criminal law of the State,
- (ii) to commit arrested persons for examination,
- (iii) if necessary, to detain arrested persons in custody over night or Sunday in any safe place or until they can be brought before the proper court, and
- (iv) to exercise all other powers as conservators of the peace prescribed by State and corporate authorities.
The bill is in committee as of right now, but it is raising some eyebrows of some lawmakers, including State Rep. Dan Caulkins.
"Who's going to carry the liability insurance? Who's going to wear body cameras and when is that going to be required?," Caulkins said. He also said he sees concern with mixing lawmaking with law enforcement.
"Do you do you want political people with the power to arrest someone that they may not agree with politically? I mean, I think there's a lot to be thought about," Caulkins said.
WAND reached out to both the sponsor Curtis Tarver and the Illinois Fraternal Order of Police but has not heard back yet.
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