Rock Island Today

State Sen. Neil Anderson (R-Moline) is pushing to change the priorities in the way Springfield deals with the state’s rising crime rate.

“I’m tired of hearing that we need to be mindful of the criminal,” Anderson said in a video recently posted to YouTube. “We need to start being mindful of the victims and our law enforcement. Recidivism is at an all-time high and that’s something we can control.”

Anderson is joining other GOP lawmakers championing the Fund The Police Act proposed by state Sen. Chapin Rose (R-Champaign) as the answer. The measure seeks to address the problem by “getting more boots on the ground to fight violent crime, funding police training, incentivizing the hiring and retention of police officers, helping to offset local governments’ police overtime costs and helping to tackle mental health issues.”

Rose’s proposal also seeks to create a $100 million fund for the Illinois Law Enforcement Training & Standards Board that would be used to make grants available to local governments and universities to hire more police officers and purchase equipment designed to prevent gang violence.

The measure also mandates that a defendant who commits aggravated battery to a police officer serve at least 85% of their sentence and denies bail for previously convicted gun offenders or a felon charged with a gun offense.

"Public safety is very important to me, mostly because of my job as a professional firefighter, but one of the things that's been frustrating is that Friday I'll be back on duty for another 24-hour shift and I guarantee you I'm going to go on a call that involves violence,” Anderson said. “That's not unique, but what is getting to be more prominent is that we're going out on these calls time and time again with the same people.”

Anderson also recently took time to highlight National Emergency Medical Services Week (EMS) Week and to express gratitude to EMS workers everywhere for all their sacrifices.

"Happy EMS Week to all the first responders out there," Anderson said in a YouTube video. “As a paramedic myself, I understand what you guys go through and sometimes it's a thankless job. It's a job that sometimes isn't worth the pay."

This year marked the 46th year that National EMS Week was recognized.