Issue Position: A Vigorous, Effective Partner of Law Enforcement

Issue Position

Issue Position: A Vigorous, Effective Partner of Law Enforcement

Attorney General Lisa Madigan has acted in a variety of different ways to make sure that Illinois law enforcement officers have the tools they need to do their jobs. She has committed the resources of the Attorney General's office, both in court and in the classroom, to helping keep Illinois safe.

Advocating in the United States Supreme Court: Victories for Law Enforcement

In November 2004, Lisa Madigan personally argued before the U.S. Supreme Court, in Illinois v. Caballes, that police officers should have the ability to use specially trained drug detection dogs to alert police to the presence of illegal narcotics during traffic stops. The defendant in Caballes was pulled over for speeding on I-80 and discovered to have 282 pounds of marijuana in his trunk. The discovery was made when Krott, a drug-sniffing dog with the Illinois State Police, walked around the exterior of the vehicle and alerted state troopers to the smell of illegal drugs. In a 6-2 decision, the Supreme Court agreed with Attorney General Madigan that such a sniff does not constitute a search. Law enforcement groups across the country, in amicus briefs filed in support of Madigan's position and in statements after the verdict emphasized the importance of the ruling. "It affirms what police officers on the street feel they need in order to keep these communities drug free and safe," Greenville, South Carolina Police Chief Willie Johnson said. "I think this will help us in our fight against the drug crimes."

In January 2004, Madigan's office prevailed in another Supreme Court case that affirmed the ability of police to use informational checkpoints to protect the public. Lombard police had set up a highway checkpoint to ask for information concerning a hit-and-run accident that occurred the week before in the same location. The defendant approached the checkpoint and swerved, nearly hitting an officer, who smelled alcohol on his breath. He was pulled over, and another officer administered a sobriety test, determining that he was under the influence of alcohol. In a 6-3 decision, the Supreme Court agreed with Attorney General Madigan and gave police the power to set up checkpoints to gather information about the commission of a crime.

Innovative Training Partnerships: Sharing Best Practices with Police Agencies

Attorney General Madigan has worked to make the resources of her office available to help police departments train their staff on a variety of subjects. The training sessions Madigan has created for law enforcement have included:

* Workshops on the Electronic Recorded Homicide Interrogation training protocol
* Elderly Service Officer training for agents who deal with older victims of crime
* Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner (SANE) training
* Meth prosecution workshops
* The Illinois Victims Assistance Academy (IVAA)
* In conjunction with the Sex Offender Management Board, Madigan's office trained over 2,000 members of the criminal justice system in "Sex Offender Management 101."

Source