(The Center Square) – Englewood residents could now face felony gun charges without officers being required to have the case reviewed and approved by the Cook County State’s Attorney’s Office beforehand.
A collaboration between the Chicago Police Department and the office of new Cook County State’s Attorney Eileen Burke, the so-called “Felony Review Bypass Program” that officially launched on Jan. 1, comes on the heels of Burke vowing as a candidate to make being tougher on crime a key cog of her administration.
Up until the pilot program being put in place, charging determinations were left in the hands of prosecutors, who often reviewed body camera footage and police reports before arriving at any decision but under the new guidelines that decision will now be left to the watch lieutenant on duty…