Illinois Supreme Court Announces Creation of Committee on Judicial Security and Safety
The Illinois Supreme Court announced today the creation of the Supreme Court Committee on Judicial Security and Safety (the Committee).
View the Order announcing the creation of the Committee.
“The Supreme Court is committed to ensuring the safety of our judges and justices,” Chief Justice Anne M. Burke said. “Threats to the judiciary continue to increase and the Committee will help us address them.”
The Committee is tasked with providing the Court with developments and recommendations related to the judicial threat environment and protective operations, intelligence, and information. The Committee will also coordinate with the Court’s judicial and law enforcement partners to monitor and review current and anticipated future judicial security needs and make appropriate recommendations to the Court.
The Chair of the Committee will be Jim Cimarossa, the Marshal of the Supreme Court of Illinois. Appointed as members of the Committee are First District Appellate Court Justice Mathias W. Delort, Second District Appellate Court Justice George Bridges, Twelfth Circuit Court Judge Susan T. O’Leary, Cook County Circuit Judge E. Kenneth Wright, Twenty-Second Circuit Court Michael J. Chmiel, and the Hon. Mark A. VandeWiele (ret.).
Additional appointed members will include the Executive Director of the Attorney Registration and Discipline Commission (ARDC), a representative of the Illinois State Police, a representative of the Illinois Sheriffs’ Association, and a representative of the Illinois Association of Chiefs of Police.
Member Comments (3)
Perhaps this committee can also deal with counties who force private lawyers to remove their belts and empty their pockets but let prosecutors enter without any search whatsoever. The advent off a pass has been well received in counties like Cook Will DuPage. It seems that the only reason there isn’t one in places like McHenry is because the judges don’t care - they don’t have to go thru the demeaning process.
I am glad to see that someone is heeding the warnings about the building attacks on the rule of law and Judicial Independence. Given the current climate the Courts can not count on the other branches of the Government to protect them or to maintain their independence.
I’m delighted that our Court is once again taking the lead in addressing this problem which is growing nationwide. My August, 2022 IBJ president’s column will address the increasing violence and intimidation toward judges and its impact on the Rule of Law.