JEFFERSON COUNTY, Ill. (WSIL) -- On Monday, the Jefferson County Board padded protections for law enforcement, in response to Illinois' new criminal justice .
The ordinance, drafted by Sheriff Jeff Bullard, guarantees qualified immunity to employees of the Jefferson County Sheriff's Office. The resolution passed by a 10-2 vote.
Bullard says he spent three weeks crafting the bill in anticipation of the signing of . The previous version of the bill eliminated qualified immunity, prompting Bullard to write the resolution.
"Officers want to know that their bosses are being proactive when it comes to protecting the profession of law enforcement," Bullard said.
The board's chairman, Clifford Lindemann, voted 'Yes' for the bill, saying it acts as an insurance policy, should the state move to eliminate qualified immunity.
"There's a lot of violent people out here and we need our officers to be able to protect us when the need arises," Lindemann said.
Those who voted against the resolution argued that qualified immunity already exists to protect officers. But Bullard said it's a way to ensure that officers receive support.
"We care about the job they do enough to take proactive steps to make sure that they're protected to the best of our ability," Bullard said.
First page of qualified immunity ordinance passed by Jefferson County Board on Monday
Second page of qualified immunity ordinance passed by Jefferson County Board on Monday
