Kane, Kendall County Sheriffs Won't Send Personnel To Chicago

KANE COUNTY, IL — Police departments throughout the suburbs could be asked to send their officers to Chicago to help out in emergencies as more than a third of Chicago Police officers refuse a city vaccine mandate. But Kane County Sheriff Ron Hain said he's not willing to send any of his deputies.

"I believe the polarization between the community and police is only reinforced by current Chicago politics," Hain said in his statement, published on the Kane County Sheriff's Office Facebook page late Monday night.

"I will not send my personnel to Chicago, unless an officer is under direct duress, because I cannot support this slanted agenda," he continued. "I also will not allow my deputies to be subjected to use force in the city and be under the prosecutorial jurisdiction of the Cook County State’s Attorney."

Kendall County Sheriff Dwight Baird echoed Hain's sentiments in a statement sent to Shaw Media Tuesday. He said if there was an incident in Chicago, he would be concerned his deputies would be investigated by the Cook County State's Attorney.

"It sounds like Mayor Lightfoot is creating her own emergency with the decisions she’s making with her police force and I don’t feel that [Illinois Law Enforcement Alarm System] assistance in this situation would be warranted," Baird told Shaw Media. "I would help an officer out if they were distressed. But she’s bringing this upon herself."

A coordinator from the ILEAS asked police departments in suburban Chicago if they'd be willing to send their officers to respond to critical situations in Chicago due to a potential shortage of city police, according to a report from WGN.

"To be clear, if members of the ILEAS Special Teams programs are requested, it would be for emergency situations, NOT for routine police assistance and the answering of calls for service within the city limits," reads an email from ILEAS sent to WGN.

The request comes as Illinois State Police and the Illinois Emergency Management Agency make plans for the possibility of police shortages in Chicago following Mayor Lori Lightfoot's threat to place officers on unpaid leave if they won't show proof of vaccination or submit to weekly testing.

Lightfoot announced a vaccine mandate for police officers Aug. 25 and set the deadline for Oct. 15. She later announced city employees who submit to twice-weekly COVID-19 testing could stay on the job past the deadline.

Fraternal Order of Police President John Catanzara — heading the union that represents rank-and-file Chicago police officers — has encouraged officers not to voluntarily provide their vaccination status through the city's vaccination portal. He said he would also go on no-pay status to show solidarity, Patch reported.

Currently, about more than a third of police and more than a quarter of firefighters have not provided their vaccination status in the city's portal.

As of Monday, about 64 percent of Chicago police personnel are vaccinated, according to Fox Valley Magazine.

"The Chicago Police Department has a dedicated force of professional humans who deserve all of the support the nation can offer," Hain said in his statement. "The solution is simple; allow Chicago Police to be the police, support their human resources, and operate treatment and vocational support programs led by people in uniform. This is how Chicago can halt crime and build bridges with the community like we’ve done here in Kane."

Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker has offered to send Illinois State Police to offset a gap in Chicago police if they're placed on non-paid status, he said at a Tuesday news conference. ISP employs about 1,900 state troopers who have responsibilities throughout the state, and some are made available to Chicago should they be requested, Patch reported.

"We have offered, to any municipality who asks, the ability to request state police and — in the event of some serious emergency — National Guard," he said. "But in most cases, state police, and we have, in fact, deployed them, when asked, over the last 18 months, and we'll continue to make that offer."

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