Elgin police welcome revisions to SAFE-T Act

Elgin police officials said on a Friday radio show they are pleased with the flexibility and clarity they will have under revisions to the statewide SAFE-T Act approved last week.

The act includes a provision that will eliminate cash bail on Jan. 1.

But local police also sought clarity on how to proceed with misdemeanor offenses, including trespassing, that the initial language of the law seemed, to critics, to leave officers with only the ability to write tickets rather than arrest someone.

Chief Ana Lalley and Cmdr. Kevin Senne walked through scenarios that officers will face under the revisions.

Lalley said before the revisions if an officer responded to a call about a person trespassing in someone's backyard, officers were concerned the old language seemed to indicate the officer could only write that person a ticket but not arrest or remove the trespasser from the backyard.

"If an officer shows up to a trespass scenario and just walks away after giving a citation, the community is going to say the police aren't doing their job," Lalley said. "So you can see the issue that could cause."

The amendments now say police officers can remove or arrest someone who is trespassing if they judge that person is a threat, exhibiting medical or mental health problems, or continues to trespass despite the officer's commands for the person to leave and the issuance of a ticket.

"If one of those three things is there, then it's business as usual," Lalley said. "If they don't leave, then you can make an arrest."

Senne said police also have the ability to arrest people if an officer is unable to verify a person is who they claim to be.

He also addressed what happens to people who currently have an outstanding warrant after Jan. 1. Senne said there is nothing retroactive about the law. That means police can still arrest people on those warrants. The one change would be those people with warrants issued during the old rules would have the ability to pay to be released from custody or go to court and await a judge's decision about being released without bail.

He encouraged people with outstanding warrants to be proactive and petition the courts to reset the conditions of the warrants to the new provisions that take effect after Jan. 1 if they want to avoid paying bail or can't afford it.

"We are going away from cash bond," Senne said. "People will either be released or detained."

Lalley also updated where things stand with her and rank-and-file officers who recently cast a vote of no-confidence against her. Lalley said she's had one meeting with the police union. Another meeting is slated for next week. She said those conversations will remain private.

"Eventually, if there is something that needs to be said publicly, then I will address it," Lalley said.