CHICAGO (WBBM NEWSRADIO) -- A north suburban police chief said he will pull body cameras off of his officers, as an act of protest against the criminal justice reform bill that was passed by the General Assembly.
In Vernon Hills, police officers have been wearing body cameras since last fall and so far, things have been positive.
“I like the fact that there is an independent witness on every call,” Vernon Hills Police Cmdr. Andrew Jones told CBS 2. “It’s not just the he-said she-said anymore.”
But Vernon Hills Police Chief Patrick Kreis said he will pull the cameras off the officers if Governor Pritzker signs the criminal justice reform bill into law.
The law requires officers to wear body cameras, and if failure to use them properly could result in charges against the officer.
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“This law goes way too far, and I’m afraid it puts officers in jeopardy,” Chief Kreis told CBS 2. “It’s simply not fair to put officers in a trick bag for a reason that we just simply can’t understand."
If signed, the measure will take effect in 2025, and Chief Kreis hopes the law could be revised by then.