Gov. Rod Blagojevich’s administration plans to spend more on reducing the backlog of unprocessed DNA cases by year’s end and to move Illinois State Police officers out of desk jobs and onto the streets under a proposal to be unveiled during his budget address next week.
An administration source and an internal memo outlined plans for processing the languishing DNA cases and for boosting the number of frontline state police positions by 400 over four years by reorganizing the agency and hiring two new classes of police cadets.
“There will be a net increase on the front lines and a net loss in the administrative officers,” the source said.
Another part of the proposal would give the state police responsibility for 38 officers now in separate police forces–10 with the Illinois Commerce Commission and 28 with the Department of Central Management Services. With an eye toward savings, an incentive package would be aimed at inducing about 80 long-serving and mostly high-salaried state police officers into taking early retirement, the source said.
The governor estimates that cuts and consolidations would result in savings of $11.2 million, netting $700,000 from these moves in the new fiscal year, according to the source.
The administration found $2.6 million in the current fiscal year’s budget to put toward reducing a backlog of 1,063 DNA cases in state crime labs in mid-December, including hundreds of rape cases, according to the source.
The administration plans $10.5 million in new state police initiatives, including $3 million to help speed up handling of DNA cases by adding 22 new forensic workers and outsourcing part of the backlog.
Prosecutors and police are discussing how many of the about 400 pending DNA cases from Chicago can be forwarded to the state crime lab. The budget also would enable the state police to replace 425 patrol cars and sell 100 that are not used on the front lines. The state also would upgrade about 600 computers in state police cars, upgrade fingerprinting technology and invest in an improved electronic data tracking system that will help officers throughout the state. The Amber Alert system will be improved so officers can better access images of missing or abducted children, the memo said.
In the Department of Corrections, the governor will increase the number of parole agents by 102 and add 13 supervisors as he continues a four-year plan to boost agents.
He also will add 20 arson and fire investigators in the state fire marshal’s office, the source said.
Another $700,000 will be spent on a tuition reimbursement program for local firefighter training and boost money for training new fire chiefs.
