ABOVE: The four participants await start of Monday night’s candidates forum at Tilton Community Center. (L to R) Republican IL Dist 104 incumbent Brandun Schweizer, Republican Vermilion Co Sheriff candidate John Thompson, Democrat IL District 104 candidate Mary Catherine Roberson, Democrat Vermilion Co Sheriff Candidate Hugh Sands.
The first of two scheduled forums this week for four candidates on the November 3rd election ballot took place Monday evening (Oct 19) at the Tilton Community Center. Participating were the, respectively, incumbent and challenger for District 104 in the General Assembly; Republican Brandun Schweizer and Democrat Mary Catherine Roberson. Also participating were two people looking to replace the retiring Pat Hartshorn as Vermilion County Sheriff; Republican John Thompson, and Democrat Hugh Sands.
One question that came up, for the District 104 candidates, was their opinions of the Safe-T Act. GOP Incumbent and USMC Veteran Schweizer stated that yes, reforms to the law, not just ‘talk’ about reforms, need to happen. He stated during the forum, and once again to CIMG afterwards, that rather than rules etched in stone about whether a suspect should be held until trial because he or she might be a danger to the community; judges need to be allowed more flexibility, in order to make common sense decisions.
AUDIO: And ensure that judges have the power and discretion to be able to hold individuals accountable, keep them in jail if that is what is necessary; not just look at what is on a piece of paper, and say “okay, this is on here – they’re staying in jail, this is not on here – they’re not staying in jail.”
Democrat Roberson, whose background includes significant time as a community violence prevention organizer, stated that while she’s not denying that some adjustments to the Safe-T Act could certainly be made, it’s important to remember the original purpose of the part of the law the ended cash bail in Illinois: the issue of two people committing the same crime; where one gets released until trial simply because they can afford bail, and the other does not get released until trial simply because they cannot afford bail.
State Rep Brandon Schweizer (Left, 1st picture) and challenger Mary Catherine Roberson (Left, 2nd picture) state their opinions during Monday night candidates forum in Tilton.
AUDIO: I think that there’s always an opportunity to reform, and listen to the people that have been impacted, and make sure that it’s working to the best for our constituents. But I was leading with that because that’s an area that people seem to leave out, as though people just get to cycle in and out. But they do have to go through the court process; there is some discretion on the judge. But I would be willing to discuss and talk about reforms to make it stronger to serve out community better.
For the candidates for sheriff, one issue that got both of them talking was a question about use of personnel, and covering all of Vermilion County rather than focusing significantly on Danville. Republican Thompson, current director of the County 9-1-1 center and 19 year Danville Police Veteran prior to that, said logical changes can indeed be made; perhaps with increased use of correctional officers.
AUDIO: Getting in there, assessing what we have; and taking some of those duties from the road deputies, and switching some of those over to corrections. That’s the best way to alleviate some of the manpower issues.
Democrat Sands, who spent 22 years working in the Vermilion County Sheriff’s Department Corrections Division, says a good place to start when it comes to better use of personnel is more respect for corrections officers.
Even though we’ve had our firearms training, the sheriff wouldn’t allow us to carry firearms. Those people can go over to the courthouse. They could provide security for the sheriff; which would free up maybe three or four deputies for the road, and allow them to do patrol and whatever. If you give corrections the idea that they can work themselves into positions out on the road, then they’ll show a better work ethic.
A second forum involving the same four candidates is scheduled for 6 PM to 8 PM this Thursday evening (Oct 22) at the Danville Area Community College Bremer Center.
