AI14-The latest on policing and public safety in Illinois with Retired Police Chief Tom Weitzel - Awake Illinois

Retired Riverside police chief Tom Whitesell joins host Shannon Adcock for a hard‑hitting conversation about the fight to protect law‑enforcement in Illinois. Whitesell explains his new advisory role with Citizens Behind the Badge, a national coalition of former officers, and outlines how the group is shaping legislation that backs police on the front lines.The duo tears into Judge John Lake’s courtroom antics – from detaining Cook County sheriff’s deputies to allowing a murder‑convicted officer’s family a hug – calling the judge an activist who weaponizes the bench against victims. Whitesell details the September 24 letter he sent to Chief Judge Charles P. Beach, demanding the judge’s reassignment from criminal cases and urging the court system to respect proper security protocols.They also confront Senator Tammy Duckworth’s recent claim that police “execute” citizens, labeling the rhetoric inflammatory and politically motivated. Whitesell vows to write a direct response and circulate it among national police leadership, while Adcock highlights the broader pattern of anti‑law‑enforcement bias in state politics.Turning to policy, Whitesell shares his work with Bob Fioretti’s campaign for Illinois Attorney General, promoting concrete reforms to the state’s Safety Act. He previews a three‑city listening tour – starting in Bolingbrook – designed to gather grassroots ideas and pressure candidates to adopt common‑sense public‑safety measures. Throughout, the conversation stresses the power of voter mobilization, urging listeners to back law‑enforcement‑friendly candidates in the November 3 election.The episode ends with a call to action: write letters, mentor fellow officers on op‑eds, and use every vote to safeguard individual liberty and community safety across Illinois.

Categories: Local News