Darin LaHood’s Five-Point Plan to Reduce Crime in Peoria County and revitalize the State’s Attorney’s Office

  1. Evaluate the current State’s Attorney’s plea bargaining system.
    This evaluation will aim to determine why repeat offenders are receiving plea agreements that involve no jail or prison time.
  2. Initiate a Community Prosecution Program.
    This program will be implemented in high crime areas of the County and involve a proactive partnership between the State’s Attorney’s Office, law enforcement, Neighborhood Associations, and public and private organizations. The State’s Attorney’s Office would be used to solve problems, improve public safety and enhance the quality of life of Peoria County citizens. Specifically, under the program, a criminal prosecutor will be assigned to a “high crime” area within our County and will work with the local police officers and neighborhood groups on a daily basis to prosecute crime in that area.
  3. Create a Gang and Violent Crimes unit.
    This will be a new unit under the direction of the Peoria County State’s Attorney’s Office. This unit will specifically focus on the apprehension and prosecution of gang members and violent offenders in our County.
  4. As State’s Attorney, LaHood will actively meet with and participate in the City of Peoria’s Crime Task Force.
    LaHood will work personally with the Task Force’s members in a cooperative effort to help reduce our crime problems.
  5. LaHood will partner with community leaders from our urban and high crime areas to re-build a level of trust.
    LaHood will work with urban leaders to re-establish a level of trust that no longer exists between law abiding citizens who live in our urban areas and our Criminal Justice System. LaHood will enhance the level of diversity within the State’s Attorney’s Office by initiating a plan to hire and employ minority attorneys in both the Charging and Felony Trial Units.