Police released this photo last week of the aftermath of a carjacking that took place in another part of the city. The victim was a pregnant woman who was carjacked by two armed teenagers. Police recovered the vehicle quickly, and the victim was not injured physically. Two juveniles face charges in the crime. --Supplied photo
Dems fight carjacking
Bills unveiled in Springfield
By Grace Kinnicutt
Capitol News Illinois
and Tim Hadac
Illinois Senate Democrats unveiled legislation last week to address the increase in carjackings by protecting victims and providing additional resources to law enforcement in targeting and capturing offenders.
Carjacking is a frequent topic of discussion in Clearing and Garfield Ridge, especially at CAPS meetings and on social media.
House Bill 3699, sponsored by Sen. Robert Martwick, D-Chicago, would aim to provide additional resources to metropolitan law enforcement groups or other law enforcement cooperatives to work together to help target and capture carjackers.
Any state funding to be directed at grant programs laid out in the bill would need to be approved in budget negotiations, however.
“We’re obviously in very deep budget negotiations and we’re trying to identify funding sources for all of this,” Martwick said at a news conference unveiling the bills.
The budgeting process was scheduled to conclude late last week, and several of the public safety-centric measures put forth by Democrats in recent days are subject to that appropriations process.
Senate Amendment 2 to the bill defines carjacking as when an individual, alone or together, knowingly takes a motor vehicle from a person by threatening or using force. Under Illinois law, carjacking is a Class 1 felony and punishable by four to 15 years in prison; and if a gun is used, it is a Class X felony and punishable by 15 years to life.
“The General Assembly has the ability to equip our law enforcement officers with more ways to protect our communities,” Martwick said.
Another provision in the bill would aim to create more collaboration between metropolitan law enforcement groups, other law enforcement cooperatives and police departments to better address carjackings. Those groups would have the ability to receive state grants to focus on carjacking deterrence if the funds are included in the budget.
Sen. Michael Hastings, D-Frankfort, said the legislation will help increase the presence of law enforcement and use of technology.
Hastings said lawmakers have been working with the Illinois State Police to increase the amount of state troopers on the streets to help address the increase in carjackings, and he said expressway cameras approved by the General Assembly can be a helpful tool in catching carjackers.
In the fiscal year 2023 budget, Gov. JB Pritzker proposed $18.6 million in general funds to support three ISP cadet classes to hire and train 300 troopers.
House Bill 3772, sponsored by Sen. Omar Aquino, D-Chicago, provides protections for carjacking victims who received a red light or speed camera violation after their vehicle was stolen. If the person were to receive a citation, the court or hearing officer would be able to consider whether the vehicle was stolen before the violation occurred.
If the car were to also be towed following a carjacking, the fees would be waived if they submit a police report.
Sen. Kimberly Lightford, D-Maywood, said she and her husband were victims of a carjacking around Christmas. Lightford said they were dropping off a friend, and as they were getting back into their car, three masked individuals came up to them and told her husband to get down on the ground.
Lightford said the moment felt like a movie as she pleaded with the carjackers not to shoot her husband. She said they took her purse and started to look in the car’s glove compartment and armrest. But she said the car was a loaner and it was empty, which caused the carjackers to become upset.
To distract the other two men, Lightford said her husband threw the keys across the ground to get them on the driver’s side of the car so she could leave the passenger’s side and run.
“My husband told me to run. I was terrified and I believed that I stopped breathing,” Lightford said.
Lightford said the carjackers still have yet to be caught but that law enforcement responded quickly that night and did a good job in handling the situation as best as they could.
The news conference was the third in as many session days held by Democrats to tout public safety proposals.
During a news conference on April 4, Democrats unveiled a set of proposals they say help with the recruitment and retention of law enforcement officers. The legislation would create a Law Enforcement Recruitment and Retention Fund, creation of a grant program for off-hour day care, a measure that would require counties to pay sheriffs 80 percent of their state’s attorney pay and focuses on officer’s mental health.
Local reaction mixed
Clearing and Garfield Ridge resients weighing in on neighborhood social media outlets showed a mix of reactions.
“Any time I see politicians promising to ‘get tough’ on crime, I know it’s an election year,” Moira Fitzgerald said. “Some of these same state legislators have endorsed [Cook County Stare’s Attorney] Kim Foxx, who’s the biggest friend criminals ever had. So I judge these politicians by the company they keep. I have no confidence that they’re serious about stopping crime.”
Debbie Avalos said she’s hopeful the legislation passes.
“I don’t know if they will have an impact against carjacking or not, but I think anything is worth a try at this point.”
Better technology, not more laws, could solve carjacking, Greg Bartunek said.
“Seems to me it would be easy to have a tracking device in every vehicle that police could monitor at the flip of a switch,” he said.
Longer, mandatory jail sentences are the answer, Bobby Tomera said.
“You put a few of these punks away for 10 years each—and you spread the word everywhere, and these punks thinking about carjacking will think twice,” he said. “You’ve got to get tough. The minute you don’t, we become the prey for the predators.”
Capitol News Illinois is a nonprofit, nonpartisan news service covering state government that is distributed to more than 400 newspapers statewide. It is funded primarily by the Illinois Press Foundation and the Robert R. McCormick Foundation.
Local News
Police Council rallies to save ShotSpotter
Spread the love. By Alexis Bocanegra Your correspondent in Clearing and Garfield Ridge (773) 949-1509 • grcl.alex23@gmail.com . Chicago Lawn (8th) District Police Council members Mark Hamberlin, Al Cacciottolo and Jason Huff have created an online petition to save ShotSpotter. As you may have read in the Clear-Ridge Reporter & NewsHound back in March, Mayor…
First Secure Bank to host American Eagle gold coin sale
Spread the loveFrom staff reports First Secure Bank & Trust of Palos Hills announced its annual May sale of 1-ounce and ¼-ounce American Eagle Gold Coins, produced by the U.S. Mint, will take place from 10 a.m.to noon on Saturdays, May 4, May 11, May 18 and May 25. The sale will take place at…
Boys Volleyball | Richards weathering struggles after run of success
Spread the loveBy Xavier Sanchez Correspondent After a tough weekend at the Smack Attack tournament, Richards got back into the win column with a two-set victory over Eisenhower in a South Suburban Red match. The Bulldogs made quick work of the Cardinals, winning 25-16, 25-15 on April 23 in Oak Lawn to snap a five-match…
Year of growth | Evergreen Park enjoying inaugural boys volleyball season
Spread the loveBy Xavier Sanchez Correspondent After almost 70 years of existence as a high school, Evergreen Park finally has a boys volleyball team. The Mustangs are playing their inaugural season with a junior varsity squad, with some matches being played at the varsity level. Head coach Brian Zofkie is leading this group with assistant…
Swanson scores, assists in Red Stars’ win over Reign
Spread the loveThe Red Stars improved to 3-1-1 by beating the Seattle Reign, 2-1, on the road on April 21. Mallory Swanson had an assist on an Ali Schlegel goal in the fourth minute and added a goal of her own in the 31st minute. Swanson missed last season after sustaining a knee injury on…
Red Stars’ Tatumn Milazzo has top Save of the Week
Spread the loveBy Jeff Vorva Correspondent Tatumn Milazzo called her achievement “funny.” The Chicago Red Stars defender and Orland Park native was awarded the NWSL’s Save of the Week after chasing down a ball in a loss to Angel City on April 13. The Save of the Week usually goes to a goalie. Milazzo laughed…
Men’s College Volleyball | Saint Xavier captures fifth straight conference tourney title
Spread the loveBy Jeff Vorva Correspondent The SXU men’s volleyball team won its fifth straight Chicagoland Christian Athletic Conference tournament championship after a 25-16, 25-17, 25-22 sweep of Calumet College of St. Joseph on April 20 at the Shannon Center. Jan Lopuch had 10 kills and nine digs for the Cougars. With the win, the…
College Baseball | Saint Xavier upsets Eastern Illinois
Spread the loveBy Jeff Vorva Correspondent The Saint Xavier baseball team picked up a win that its players are going to remember for a long time. The Cougars stunned Eastern Illinois, 4-2, on April 17 in Charleston. It was the Cougars’ first win over the Panthers, a Division I program, since 2005. Lyons grad Troy…
Neighbors
Flooding is Illinois’ Most Threatening Natural Disaster. Are We Prepared?
by Meredith Newman, Illinois Answers Project April 16, 2024 This story was originally published by the Illinois Answers Project. The electricity in Mary Buchanan’s home in West Garfield Park was not working – again. The outage lasted four days, starting just after a crew dug up her front lawn to install a check valve in…
Lawmakers pitch sweeping changes to energy industry and Chicagoland transit system
By ANDREW ADAMS Capitol News Illinois aadams@capitolnewsillinois.com A group of lawmakers and influential environmental advocates are calling for broad changes to the state’s energy industry and a massive increase in state oversight of Chicagoland’s transit system – which faces a projected $730 million budget shortfall. Advocates for the policy platform, which is broken up into…
Democrats flex muscle to kick off final month of session as revenues remain on track
By JERRY NOWICKI Capitol News Illinois jnowicki@capitolnewsillinois.com SPRINGFIELD – With about three weeks to go before the Illinois General Assembly is scheduled to adjourn its spring legislative session, supermajority Democrats showed their strength this week as fiscal forecasters noted state revenues remain on track. April is typically a make-or-break month for state coffers, as income…
Former state trooper who caused fatal crash halts effort to get driving privileges restored
By BETH HUNDSDORFER Capitol News Illinois bhundsdorfer@capitolnewsillinois.com The former Illinois State Trooper who pleaded guilty to vehicular manslaughter of two sisters in 2007 has abandoned his efforts to have a hearing into the restoration of his driving privileges – for now. Matt Mitchell, 45, requested at least two delays in the hearing after he failed…
Capitol Briefs: Senate advances elections bill, measure targeting ‘predatory’ lending
By PETER HANCOCK & HANNAH MEISEL Capitol News Illinois news@capitolnewsillinois.com SPRINGFIELD – A bill that would put more controls on certain kinds of high-cost loans to small businesses cleared the Illinois Senate Thursday. Senate Bill 2234, known as the Small Business Financial Transparency Act, targets a relatively new kind of nontraditional lender in the credit…
Law enforcement community honors fallen officers at Illinois Capitol
By COLE LONGCOR Capitol News Illinois clongcor@capitolnewsillinois.com SPRINGFIELD – Six fallen police officers were honored at an annual memorial service outside the State Capitol Thursday. The Illinois Police Officers Memorial occurs annually on the first Thursday of May to honor officers who died in the line of duty and to support their families. “No one…
Democrats muscle through changes to ballot access, advisory questions
By JERRY NOWICKI HANNAH MEISEL & PETER HANCOCK Capitol News Illinois news@capitolnewsillinois.com SPRINGFIELD – Supermajority Democrats in the Illinois House moved quickly Wednesday to push through a change to state election laws that partially limits ballot access and adds three nonbinding referendums to the 2024 general election ballot. It’s a move that caused minority party…
After 3 years, state poised to enforce law aiming to end lending discrimination
By PETER HANCOCK Capitol News Illinois phancock@capitolnewsillinois.com SPRINGFIELD – In 1977, then-President Jimmy Carter signed into law the Community Reinvestment Act, a federal law that sought to wipe away the last vestiges of racial discrimination and redlining in America’s home mortgage industry. The idea was simple. By requiring lenders – primarily banks – to make…
Capitol News Illinois partners with ‘Illinois Lawmakers’ program to bring it back to air
Capitol News Illinois announced today it will produce the long-running “Illinois Lawmakers” program this spring, in partnership with longtime host and producer Jak Tichenor. “This new partnership is absolutely critical to providing Illinois residents with reliable, independent, in-depth, up to date coverage from the Illinois Capitol after many newspapers and broadcasters shuttered their Statehouse bureaus over…
Election officials to weigh whether Darren Bailey and GOP operative Dan Proft illegally coordinated
By ANDREW ADAMS & HANNAH MEISEL Capitol News Illinois news@capitolnewsillinois.com CHICAGO – A year and a half after Republican Darren Bailey lost his campaign to challenge Gov. JB Pritzker, state election officials are weighing whether he illegally colluded with conservative radio show host and political operative Dan Proft in the 2022 campaign. The State Board…