SPRINGFIELD — After a man with a pending warrant was accused of fatally shooting Chicago police officer John Bartholomew and wounding his partner, a press conference was held Thursday to spread misinformation about the effectiveness of the Pretrial Fairness Act. In response, State Senator Robert Peters (D-Chicago), sponsor of the Pretrial Fairness Act, released the following statement:

“The passing of Officer Bartholomew is nothing short of horrific, and my sincere condolences are extended to his loved ones, friends and Chicago police colleagues. However, once again, people are choosing to fuel fear by spreading misinformation and exploiting tragedy rather than working together to prioritize public safety for Illinoisans.

“The Pretrial Fairness Act has had a direct impact on reducing crime across the state, leading to notable drops in violent and property crimes. To argue any different is a flat-out lie. Since taking effect, the law has resulted in a decrease in robberies, shootings and murders in Chicago, bringing the city’s crime rate to historic lows not seen since the 1960s. Similarly, last year, East St. Louis experienced its lowest homicide rate in 45 years, and homicides in Peoria decreased 61%.

“Since before the act became law, we have heard the same misinformed rhetoric being used to sway public opinion: judges don’t have enough discretion to detain individuals under the PFA. This could not be farther from the truth, and, in fact, judges now receive more information and spend more time on pretrial release decisions. A return to Illinois’ money bond would be a return to a period of higher crime, and we refuse to walk away from the progress that has allowed Black and Brown communities to experience true due process.

“If people spreading this rhetoric cared about public safety, they wouldn’t turn to fear mongering and lies about the PFA. If they truly cared about public safety, they would join us in our fight for increased gun control, adequate mental health treatment, access to substance abuse amenities and funding for all social services, for all Illinoisans.”