Wabash County officials are starting to grapple with the effects of the Illinois criminal justice reform law that will go into effect January 1st.
At last Monday’s county board meeting, state’s attorney Kelli Storckman presented a request from state officials for Wabash County to provide office space for a pre-trial services officer. Sheriff Derek Morgan said there are many aspects of the reform law that will change the way suspects are handled after being arrested…
Morgan said the role of the pre-trial services officer is unclear right now…
Storckman said the state told her there were no funds available to pay the county rent for any office space used by the pre-trial service officer. Since space currently in the courthouse isn’t available, she offered space in her office. In addition to the office space, the county would be expected to provide the officer with phone and internet access. Storckman also said, since the officer would be a state employee, she was reluctant to offer a non-county employee unfettered access to the courthouse on a 24/7 basis. County board chairman Tim Hocking told Storckman to gather more information on the request before commissioners would make a decision.