SPRINGFIELD, IL – County and municipal law enforcement agencies will be able to keep the proceeds from drug-related fines closer to their home jurisdictions and out of the hands of state bureaucrats, thanks to legislation sponsored by State Sen. Chapin Rose (R-Mahomet) which passed the Illinois Senate on April 11.
“Current law required the Illinois State Police (ISP) to disperse fines paid by drug offenders upon the conclusion of their drug or meth court cases over to local drug task forces. However, ISP was refusing to do so. These funds were intended for local law enforcement and not meant to be held up,” Rose said. “I would like to thank Douglas County Sheriff Charlie McGrew and Moultrie County Sheriff Jeff Thomas for bringing this problem to my attention. Our communities are better places thanks to the hard work of multijurisdictional agencies like the Eastern Illinois Drug Task Force.”
Douglas County Sheriff Charlie McGrew said that local jurisdictions are doing the hard work and not being rewarded with the proper financial support. “Law enforcement officers all know that drug cases are some of the toughest cases to prove and win convictions on, but after we are fortunate enough to have justice done, local authorities should be able to recoup some of those investigative costs,” he said.
Task forces are already struggling due to federal funding cuts. This fee originally passed by Senator Rose was intended to make drug dealers pay for local drug investigation costs and help recoup some of the expense for the taxpayers.
Senate Bill 1862 will remove the authority to disperse these drug case funds from the ISP and instead require the Illinois Criminal Justice Information Authority to make disbursements to local law enforcement departments.