Illinois Quick Hits: Report shows 8% of Cook County offenders on electronic monitoring AWOL

By Sean Reed | The Center Square
The Center Square

(The Center Square) – A report from a Cook County judge revealed that 8% of people participating in the electronic monitoring program, 246 individuals, have warrants for being absent without leave from the probation program.

According to a release, since the county took over responsibility for the program, efforts to increase transparency and tighten monitoring have led to an increase in the number of detected violations.

After a non-citizen man killed Chicago Police Officer John Bartholomew while violating his electronic monitoring last month, The county’s Office of the Chief Judge is conducting a review of the system, which they say is in an effort to identify issues and improve implementation.

CHICAGO FIREFIGHTER DEAD AFTER MEDICAL EMERGENCY DURING TRAINING EXERCISE

Chicago Fire Department Engineer Steven Decker suffered a medical emergency while taking part in a yearly equipment test Thursday in the West Ridge neighborhood.

Decker, a 30-year veteran of the department, was rushed to an area hospital, where he was later pronounced dead, according to the department.

Decker’s death marks the second line-of-duty death for the CFD this year.

PRITZKER BRIEFLY HOSPITALIZED AFTER ‘MINOR COMPLICATION’ FROM RECENT SURGERY

Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker was reportedly taken to a Springfield hospital Wednesday over what a spokesperson said was a minor complication from a urology procedure the governor had earlier this month.

Though details have not been released, a spokesperson told media there is no need for concern over Pritzker’s health, and he has since returned to work.