2 weeks Ago By BRENDEN MOORE [email protected]
SPRINGFIELD — The 2020 police killing of George Floyd sparked outcry across the nation. And among a small faction of Democratic lawmakers and some liberal activists, a call to "defund the police." The phrase and the policy change it stood for never polled well with the public and it was ultimately used, with mixed success, by Republicans against Democrats in swing districts, including U.
S. Rep. Eric Sorensen.
Then and now, the Moline Democrat insists he wants to fund the police. And he's demonstrating it through both words and legislative action. Sorensen is one of more than two-dozen House members who have signed on as cosponsors to the "Invest to Protect Act," which would create a federal grant program for small and mid-size law enforcement agencies for recruitment, training and retention efforts.
"Police departments are strapped for cash," Sorensen told Lee Enterprises in an interview on Monday. "Looking at the technology that is needed today, and then all of the subscriptions that police departments and the sheriff's departments have to pay for, this helps." Under the legislation, departments that employ fewer than 175 law enforcement officers would be eligible for grant funds that could be used for training in de-escalation tactics, domestic violence situations, active shooter situations and responding to calls for service involving people with specific needs, such as the those with mental health issues.
Departments would also be able to use the grant founds for officer signing and retention bonuses and to cover up to $10,000 of graduate-level education expenses for officers studying mental health, public health or social work. Funds could also be used to provide behavioral health services for officers dealing with post-traumatic stress disorder. The legislation was first introduced in the last Congress.
It passed the Senate but failed to receive a vote in the House. It was reintroduced in both chambers and has bipartisan support. Among the Illinois delegation, Rep.
Nikki Budzinski, D-Springfield; Rep. Sean Casten, D-Downers Grove; and Sen. Dick Durbin have signed on as co-sponsors along with Sorensen.
The latest effort comes about three months after the shooting death of 21-year-old Jakarta Jackson of East Moline at the hands of Rock Island police officer Brett Taylor. The officer attempted to detain Jackson, who fled on foot before returning to his vehicle. Investigators said Jackson drove away while Taylor attempted to get him out of the vehicle.
The officer was then dragged about 100 feet by the vehicle. Taylor shot Jackson, who died later at a hospital. Rock Island State's Attorney Dora Villarreal later announced that Taylor's use of deadly force was justified and that he would not be charged.
The officer later returned to active duty. "I really believe that if we had proper de-escalation, then Jakarta would be with us today," Sorensen said. "It is one of those situations where we need continuous training for police officers so that when you’re running on adrenaline, that you make the best decisions in the moment.
"And I think that will happen as we connect more of our law enforcement agencies to the resources that they need to do their job, and that is what this legislation would do," he continued. If the measure were signed into law, up to $50 million would be appropriated annually from 2027 to 2031 to fund the grant program. In a statement, Rock Island County Sheriff Darren Hart said that the proposal would "undeniably help departments across not only Illinois but our entire country bridge budgetary shortfalls in critical areas such as recruitment and training.
" Sorensen said that he hopes the bill gets "put on the front burner" by the House Republicans, who hold a narrow 220-213 majority in the chamber. While more Democrats have signed on, there are Republican cosponsors. "Right now, what we're seeing is just politics on the other side.
I think I've made three or four votes on the efficiency of walk-in coolers," Sorensen said, referencing votes to repeal Biden-era Department of Energy regulations. "We're not doing what we need to be doing. We need to be focusing on how we can serve the public, serve police," Sorensen continued.
"It's literally funding the police as opposed to these messaging bills that the GOP seems to put to the floor of the House these days." The legislation has been referred to the House Judiciary Committee..
