From State Rep. Jeff Keicher:
Rep. Keicher Calls for Calm; Files Bill to Protect Police & Bystanders
SYCAMORE – Yesterday, Illinois House Republican Conference Chairman Jeff Keicher (R-Sycamore) joined House Minority Leader Tony McCombie (R-Savanna) and Assistant Minority Leader C.D. Davidsmeyer (R-Murrayville) to address the rising threat against law enforcement.
Before recent incidents directed toward Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), there has been a growing trend of harassment and interference directed at law enforcement for simply doing their jobs of enforcing our laws and protecting our communities.
Keicher has filed House Bill 4142 in an effort to reduce tensions between bystanders and police when they are performing their lawful duties.
“Whether a simple traffic stop or serving a warrant, whether it’s ICE or local police, we’ve seen officers mobbed, leading to situations that spiral into more aggressive, but entirely avoidable outcomes,” said Keicher.
“We must bring down the temperature, and leaders like our Governor and the Mayor of Chicago need to stop the use of aggressive rhetoric that is putting lives at risk.
“Our law enforcement officers all put on the uniform with the intent to protect and serve.”
Keicher noted an example last week when, as reported by CWBChicago, a Chicago “peacekeeper” interfered and even threw a punch at officers attempting to apprehend a suspect fleeing a stolen car.
House Bill 4142, recently filed by Keicher, seeks to tamp down tensions to allow law enforcement the space they need to operate and protect both bystanders and the officers themselves.
Under the legislation, when performing their lawful duties, an officer may instruct bystanders not to approach and remain 14 feet away if the officer reasonably believes that a person’s presence will interfere.
After receiving a warning not to approach, it is unlawful for a person to knowingly or intentionally violate the warning and approach or remain within 14 feet of the officer with the intent to:
(1) interrupt, disrupt, hinder, impede, or interfere with the officer’s ability to perform their duty;
(2) threaten the officer with physical harm; or
(3) harass the officer by interfering with the performance of the officer’s duty. A violation is a Class A misdemeanor.
“We need to bring down the tension and remember that our law enforcement officers are public servants simply trying to perform their duty and keep us safe,” said Keicher.
“It is not their job to decide if a law they are tasked with enforcing is right or wrong, and we, as a society, must stop targeting them for doing their duty.”
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And, if you want to read about the impetus for the confrontations, read John Kass’ column, entitled, “Chicago’s Rules for Radicals Spread Out Across America.”
The Rules
- “Power is not only what you have but what the enemy thinks you have.”
- “Never go outside the experience of your people.”
- “Whenever possible go outside of the experience of the enemy.”
- “Make the enemy live up to its own book of rules.”
- “Ridicule is man’s most potent weapon. There is no defense. It is almost impossible to counterattack ridicule. Also it infuriates the opposition, who then react to your advantage.”
- “A good tactic is one your people enjoy.”
- “A tactic that drags on too long becomes a drag.”
- “Keep the pressure on.”
- “The threat is usually more terrifying than the thing itself.”
- “The major premise for tactics is the development of operations that will maintain a constant pressure upon the opposition.”
- “If you push a negative hard and deep enough it will break through into its counterside; this is based on the principle that every positive has its negative.”
- “The price of a successful attack is a constructive alternative.”
- “Pick the target, freeze it, personalize it, and polarize it.”
