The Christian County Sheriff’s Department and police forces across Illinois will be adopting a new way of handling crimes because of new legislation that has passed. The SAFETY Act is eliminating cash bail. This means that for crimes that once carried prison time, like illegal drug possession, will be met with a citation instead of an overnight stay at the jail.

Chief Deputy Jim Baker with the Christian County Sheriff’s Office explains that crimes like burglary and narcotic possession once would mean prison time. This is no longer the case.

Illinois is the first state to pass the SAFETY Act. Baker notes that some new deputies will need to be aware of the new rules to follow while handling their business.

Baker describes a “flow chart” that officers will use to handle crimes that once would be cut and dry. Once the officer follows the flow chart the decision on what to do next is no longer up to the judgment of the officer in the field, it will be the flow chart with the next step.

Staying the same for the CC Sheriff's Department is the development and outreach of the new Christian County Sheriff’s App that is out for smartphones. This one-stop shop app will have information from vacation patrol, to monthly events, to a citizen tip submission section.

Chief Deputy Jim Baker and his staff work tirelessly to keep our community and everyone in it safe. With the new SAFETY Act, rules on handling crimes once they have been committed might change but the constant efforts to keep local citizens protected will not.

Chief Deputy Jim Baker appeared as a guest on the WTIM Morning Show.