ISP Doomsday Budget: 400 Troopers, 5 Districts Cut

By Benjamin Yount, Illinois Statehouse News
The acting director of the Illinois State Police said he cannot guarantee that Illinois will be any safer next year. Jonathon Monken told a group of Illinois lawmakers Monday that he's planning for a "doomsday budget."

Monken said Gov. Pat Quinn's proposed budget would leave the Illinois State Police with the fewest number of troopers in at least 20 years. "Quite honestly to be able to continue to perform the functions that we are required to do for the agency and that we owe to the people of Illinois, we'll still be able to perform them in a certain capacity," said Monken. "But not at the level that's necessary to keep crime down, to keep traffic fatalities down, to keep all these things in check."

Monken said he's preparing to lose as much as 30 percent of his force. The acting director said by the time older troopers retire, and there are no replacements, Illinois could have more than 400 fewer state troopers on the road.

Monken had said he'd look to target districts in low crime areas, or areas of the state with plenty of local police backup. But he would not offer any specifics on which of the state's 22 Illinois State Police Districts may be closed or combined.

Lawmakers in Springfield say they now worry their State Police district back home may be on that list. Almost every lawmaker said the plan to balance Illinois' budget on the backs of the State Police is a bad idea. They'll begin work on their own spending plan when they return after a legislative spring break at the end of this month.

You can read Ben's full report at: http://illinoisstatehousenews.com/2010/03/15/isp-doomsday-budget-400troopers-5-districts-cut/