Rep. Dan Caulkins | Facebook
Rep. Dan Caulkins | Facebook
State Rep. Dan Caulkins (R-101) is a vocal opponent of a bill that would give state representatives and senators the authority to perform duties reserved for police officers.
Caulkins said that passing this bill into law could be dangerous. He says that even with the best intentions this bill could be a slippery slope for lawmakers, and giving senators or state representatives the power to arrest anyone may prompt them to arrest people they do not “agree with politically,” Caulkins told WAND-TV.
State Rep. Curtis Tarver II (D-Chicago) is sponsoring the bill. If passed it would enable senators and state representatives to perform the following duties:
· Arrest or be given cause to arrest, with or without process, individuals who break the peace or are found violating any municipal ordinance or any criminal law of the state
· Commit arrested individuals for examination
· Detain arrested individuals over night or over Sunday in any safe venue until they can be brought to the proper court
· Exercise all other powers as conservators of the peace prescribed by the state and corporate authorities
As of now the bill is in committee.
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