Dangerous situations for county deputies may happen more frequently if the number of Illinois State Police troopers diminishes due to state budget cutbacks, Tazewell County Sheriff Robert Huston said.
“Fewer state troopers to back up deputies in emergencies is a safety concern,” he said. “Historically, county police backup is farther away than it is for city police.
“Our people already have to handle more by themselves or keep it under control until backup arrives. The state police have been cutting back road troopers for a long time - there have been fewer and fewer state police on the road for the past several years.”
The Illinois State Police announced in late March that 464 state troopers will be subject to layoffs, and five regional headquarters will be closed this fall - Litchfield, Carmi, Pecatonica, Macomb and Des Plaines. With the additional retirement of 100 officers, and the transfer of 30 officers to the Illinois Gaming Board to patrol Illinois’ 10th riverboat casino and enforce video poker regulations statewide, the force of more than 2,000 will be cut by 600 troopers total, said Illinois State Police Master Sgt. Isaiah Vega.
Huston said he will consider the reductions a “done deal” unless he is told otherwise by the state police.
Vega said the cuts, though only proposed at this point, would increase the responsibility of local county sheriffs’ departments and police departments across the state. The cuts will be necessary unless additional revenue is identified for the state police.
Tazewell County has 40 deputies that patrol four districts in the county. There are four to six deputies on patrol on each shift in an area that covers 650 square miles. The county typically patrols county and township roads.
State police cruisers patrol the interstates and state highways and provide backup for other departments as needed. Vega said troopers also take part in investigations of violent crimes, answer local agency and public calls for help when needed, and work on various task forces, such as the Methamphetamine Response Team, which Vega said might be eliminated because of the budget cuts.
What the state police can’t get to in Tazewell County will fall into the hands of the sheriff’s departments, said Huston.
“I think it is reasonable to expect this to create a greater burden on the sheriff’s department,” said Huston. “The sheriff’s office has a statutory responsibility for public safety in the county.
The sheriff also worries that state highways and interstates may not be as safe with fewer patrols as people worry less about speeding.
The fact that the state police are cutting back doesn’t mean the county has the manpower to pick up the slack the state police will leave behind. Huston said there are no plans to add deputies or expand the department, but if towns and the state continue to cut positions, it may be necessary in the future. The Tazewell County Board would have to make that decision.
