Bill would get Illinois police cruisers on road

SPRINGFIELD - Illinois lawmakers are pushing legislation to get 85 idle Illinois State Police cruisers on the road.

The Springfield bureau of Lee Enterprises newspapers reported that state Rep. Brian Stewart's proposal would allocate existing funds to install lights, sirens and other electronics on 85 Chevrolet Caprices that are sitting idle. State police are struggling to get the cars prepared for service because of a small number of technicians.

Stewart's predecessor, former Rep. Jim Sacia, championed a $1 increase in vehicle registration fees that generated money for the purchase of new cruisers. But those cars remain parked without the necessary technical equipment.

Stewart's legislation would allow money from the fee increase to be spent on preparing, improving and maintaining state police vehicles.