For the past year, an underground parking garage that
connects several state government buildings at the Capitol Complex has been
without a stationary security presence. In light of recent fiscal
reductions ordered by Gov. Rod Blagojevich, state agencies are scrambling
to trim costs without compromising the safety of the public or law
enforcement officers.
In July, the governor carved $26 million from
Secretary of State Jesse White’s budget, or approximately one-third
of the amount appropriated to that department by the General Assembly. Of
that sum, $1 million was earmarked for security at the Capitol. “We
are analyzing the impact of the cuts. But we are not willing to compromise
public safety,” says Henry Haupt, a spokesman for White.
Some changes have already been made. The Capitol
Police, created in 2004 after a security guard was shot and killed, is
undermanned by a dozen officers, positions that are unlikely to be filled.
The officers are assigned to the Howlett and Stratton office buildings,
Illinois State Museum, Armory, Supreme Court, Statehouse, and other
prominent buildings. Because of the understaffing, some posts are sometimes
unguarded for brief periods, says one Capitol police officer.
The officer is concerned about the possibility of a
terrorist attack similar to the 1993 bombing of the World Trade Center in
New York City, which took place in an underground parking garage, as well
as about the safety of workers in the dimly lit area. “You can do
anything you want down there,” the officer says.
Haupt notes that only employees can gain access to
the building, with a pass. In addition, car patrols maintain an active
presence, driving through the garage several times per day, he adds.
However, because of the cuts, the secretary of state might be forced to
consider further limiting access to the Capitol, including shutting off
some entrances and closing the building on weekends.
Sean Smoot, executive director of the Police
Benevolent and Protective Association, which represents members of the
Capitol police force, says the safety of both officers and the public are
paramount. He anticipates raising some of these issues when the union meets
with Secretary of State officials to negotiate a new contract in the coming
weeks.
Smoot, whose organization also represents Illinois
Department of Natural Resources conservation police officers, says that
agency is also coping with deep cuts. He says the agency has 20 fewer
officer than they should (and are likely to lose about a dozen more) and
disbanded its investigative unit, which keeps tabs on poachers and tree
pirates.
“It’s a pretty significant blow to the
preservation of natural resources and conservation in the state,”
Smoot says.
Chris McCloud, communications director for the IDNR,
says the investigators were not disbanded, but instead will return to
regular patrols working in communities. “What that does is
effectively put seven additional officers on the streets. The
investigative work is still a priority for Conservation
police. It will now be handled by officers — who are all trained
— in our regional districts,” McCloud says.
Public safety, he adds, remains the top priority for
IDNR and its conservation police force.
“While Illinois and the nation are faced
with financial challenges, those challenges do not compromise the role of
our CPOs. Our officers continue to meet their responsibilities as they
always do.”
Contact R.L. Nave at rnave@illinoistimes.com
This article appears in Aug 14-20, 2008.
