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Yingling Fighting to Keep Law Enforcement Training Courses Running
Funds are set aside specifically for helping police officers do their jobs.
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September 25, 2015
Find out what's happening in Grayslakefor free with the latest updates from Patch.
State Rep. Sam Yingling
Find out what's happening in Grayslakefor free with the latest updates from Patch.
SPRINGFIELD, Ill. – State Rep. Sam Yingling, D-Grayslake, is calling on state officials to release funds that help police officers keep local communities and themselves safe. While these critical training programs are funded by fines collected after criminal convictions and not from taxpayer dollars, the governor’s decision to veto the state budget has prevented these funds from being provided to local law enforcement agencies.
“Now more than ever, as many of the men and women who protect and serve our communities leave home in the morning not sure if they’ll return, we need to do everything we can to make sure they are fully prepared to not only keep our families safe, but also return safely to their families at the end of their shifts,” said Yingling. “The state’s budget stalemate is being perpetuated by intensely held beliefs on all sides, and it’s time to put the safety of our communities and the law enforcement officers we rely on ahead of partisan games.”
A variety of law enforcement training programs, including seminars on how to safely interact with suspects and members of the public, firearm safety, narcotics detection and protocol for safely managing individuals who may be suffering from mental illness, have been canceled in recent weeks as a result of Gov. Bruce Rauner’s veto of the state budget. Even though taxpayers do not pay for these programs, the governor’s veto eliminated the appropriation authority that allows fines paid by criminals after conviction to be used for law enforcement training. Following testimony on the House floor Thursday from law enforcement officials who discussed the urgent need for these programs, Yingling is calling on state officials to take necessary legislative action to allow the trainings to continue.
“I know there’s room for disagreement and compromise on the state’s budget, but there’s no question that the safety of our communities and the men and women who make sacrifices to protect it needs to be a priority,” said Yingling. “These funds are set aside specifically for helping police officers do their jobs, and when those funds can’t be made available to local law enforcement officials, the state has failed to do its job.”
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