CHICAGO, IL — Darren Bailey claims he is an ardent defender of Illinoisans’ public safety. However, his record as a state representative suggests otherwise.
When he had the chance to stand with law enforcement and first responders as a state legislator, Bailey voted against funding for state police four years in a row, opposed upgrading the state crime lab, and tried to vote down legislation to combat retail theft. He also took money from a registered child sex offender and called the January 6 insurrection a “farce.”
Under Governor Pritzker’s leadership, Illinois banned assault weapons, required background checks on all gun sales, and this year, was named second best in the country for gun safety laws. This summer, Chicago experienced historic lows in shootings and homicides.
Over the past eight years, Gov. Pritzker has championed public safety and invested in initiatives to help law enforcement solve crimes:
- Doubled funding for violence prevention initiatives and added hundreds of troopers to the Illinois State Police.
- Funded a new crime lab and police headquarters in Joliet and opened a state-of-the-art forensics laboratory in Decatur dedicated to using DNA to solve crimes.
- Eliminated the longstanding backlog of rape kits by expanding resources and forensics technology to crime labs and law enforcement.
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