SAFE-T Act under fire: Police argue it benefits criminals, hurts officers (Pt 1)

In this first episode of a three-part series on Illinois’ controversial SAFE-T Act, former Chicago Police Commissioner Garry McCarthy sits down with suburban police chiefs Marc Maton (Lemont, IL) and Tom Herion (Village of Lyons) to dig into what law enforcement veterans really think about the law.

They open up about being completely shut out of the negotiation process, how the reforms are impacting both police and judicial decision-making, and the unintended mess that happens when civilians try to “police the police.” From pre-trial release to electronic monitoring, they argue that post-bail reform is missing the mark — and what it’ll take to get it right.

This is a straight-talking, boots-on-the-ground look at the real-world effects of reform through the eyes of those sworn to uphold the law.