Hinsdale Leader Blames 'Cowardly' Democrats

HINSDALE, IL – Hinsdale Village President Tom Cauley on Tuesday denounced a new crime law that takes effect in January, saying it will worsen problems in Chicago, Hinsdale and the rest of the state.

"From what I have heard, a lot of the Democrats in Springfield agree that it is not a good law, but they are just too cowardly to take steps to repeal it," Cauley said at Tuesday's Village Board meeting.

Cauley, who has been mayor since 2009, said crime has increased locally in recent years, particularly burglaries and car thefts.

"We have more criminals coming into town with guns," he said. "In Chicago, crime is out of control. To some extent, Hinsdale's property values are tied to the vibrancy of Chicago. And because Chicago is only 20 miles away, what goes on in Chicago finds its way into the suburbs."

Cauley took exception to a provision in the new law that ends the practice of arresting trespassers. Under the new law, police can only ticket them.

"This is a problem waiting to happen," Cauley said. "I think Police Chief (Brian) King will tell you – not a lot of incidents in Hinsdale – where we have removed people forcibly from restaurants and other establishments and from people's front doorsteps and other places. Once this law is passed, that will no longer happen. You will have to deal with it."

He also expressed opposition to the high hurdles to keep people jailed while awaiting trial. The law, he said, only allows continued detention for many types of criminal suspects if prosecutors can prove they are a flight risk or are a threat to a specific person.

No longer can prosecutors just present evidence that a person poses a threat to the public at large, Cauley said. Now, they must pinpoint the next victim, which is difficult, he said.

"When this law goes into effect, we can expect to see a jump in crime because there will be more people walking the streets," he said. "More businesses will leave Chicago, more crimes in Hinsdale, and there is no reason why this should happen."