URGENT UPDATE: The Cook County State’s Attorney’s Office has just confirmed an expansion of a program that allows Chicago police officers to directly file felony charges for low-level gun offenses without prior prosecutor approval. This significant move, announced by State’s Attorney Eileen O’Neill Burke on Friday, aims to streamline the legal process and enhance public safety across the city.
The Expedited Felony Review program will now be implemented citywide, following a successful pilot in the 7th District that began in January, and its subsequent expansion to the 5th District in April. Officers will be empowered to file charges for unlawful possession of a weapon, unlawful possession by a felon, and aggravated unlawful possession in non-violent cases that do not involve a victim or the discharge of a weapon.
According to Chicago Police Superintendent Larry Snelling, the initiative allows officers to return to their duties faster while ensuring that gun possession offenders are held accountable. “This program strengthens safety in our city,” Snelling stated, “by getting our officers back on the street quicker.”
Burke emphasized that the program allows prosecutors to concentrate on more serious gun crimes. “The goal of this initiative is straightforward: to get police officers back on their beats, not tied down at their desks,” she noted. Burke also revealed that during the pilot, an impressive 99% of gun charges filed directly by police were upheld in preliminary hearings or resulted in grand jury indictments.
However, the expansion has not come without controversy. The Cook County Public Defender’s Office has expressed strong opposition, arguing that the policy shifts the responsibility of charge review from prosecutors to police officers, who may lack the necessary objectivity. They raised concerns that this could lead to a surge in nonviolent gun possession cases clogging the courts, with approximately 30% of these cases typically ending up dismissed.
In a statement, the Public Defender’s Office said, “This policy abandons prosecutors’ duty to review felony charges and simply hands that responsibility over to police.” They cited a troubling trend where Black gun owners have been arrested on felony charges during minor traffic stops, even when legally licensed.
As this program rolls out, city officials and community advocates will be closely monitoring its impact on gun crime rates and community relations. The expansion is set to begin immediately, and all eyes will be on how it affects both public safety and the judicial system in Chicago.
Stay tuned for further updates on this developing story as the implications of this significant policy change unfold.
