Three Local Sheriffs Chosen For Gubernatorial Candidate’s Proposed Public Safety Council

By Benjamin Cox on February 24, 2022 at 9:01am

Three West Central Illinois Sheriff’s have been named to a Republican gubernatorial candidate’s proposed criminal justice council.

Cass County Sheriff Devron Ohrn, Pike County Sheriff David Greenwood and Scott County Sheriff Tom Eddinger have been named to Republican gubernatorial candidate Jesse Sullivan’s 20-member Safe Streets Leadership Council.

Also chosen for the council are Adams County State’s Attorney Gary Farha, Menard County State’s Attorney Gabe Grosboll, and retired Menard County Sheriff and former president of the Illinois Sheriff’s Association Larry Smith. The council would be co-chaired by current Menard County Sheriff Mark Oller and McDonough County Sheriff Nick Petitgout.

Sullivan’s Safe Street’s initiative was unveiled on January 25th in television ads and announcements. The plan calls for fully staffing law enforcement agencies, using National Guard assistance in areas in which crime is surging, repealing the elimination of cash bond for violent offenders, and sharing information and tactics with neighboring states.

The plan also calls for the repeal of the SAFE-T Act passed by the General Assembly last year as part of a large criminal justice reform initiative.

Sullivan also has a third prong that calls for an increase in penalties for crimes against police, improve pay scales for law enforcement officers, and create incentives to retain experienced officers. It also would create a statewide anti-violence director to oversee efforts, strengthening collaboration among local and state agencies, ensuring there are resources to train prisoners, and increasing a tax credit for those who hire people who have been released from prison.

The 37 year old Sullivan is a cryptocurrency venture capitalist originally from Petersburg. He is vying for the Republican gubernatorial nomination among a field of five others to take on Democrat incumbent J.B. Pritzker in November.

Sullivan and his Lt. Governor running mate Kathleen Murphy made the council announcement last night at a “Save Illinois” rally at Church Street Brewing Company in Itasca.