Dupage Policy Journal

Safe Suburbs USA recently named state Rep. Deanne Mazzochi (R-Elmhurst) the Elected Official of the Year, according to a release.

“I am thankful for this award and am grateful that such organizations exist to raise awareness and take action against the rising crime rates in our suburbs,” Mazzochi said in the release. 

Mazzochi, first elected in 2018, serves on several committees that have links to community safety, including the Judiciary - Civil committee and the Housing Committee. She was also recently appointed to the new, bipartisan Crime Reduction Task Force, the release said.

“As a member of House committees that involve crime and public safety, the conversation lately in Springfield has become too one-sided,” Mazzochi said. “We should always look for opportunities for reform within the criminal justice system – I proposed several options where the Democrats refused to take action. We owe a duty to victims to deliver justice, and to our local residents to ensure they are not living in fear, especially when it comes to criminals with repeat offenses.” 

Crime Grade rates DuPage County an A+ overall, with an A- for violent crime. Odds of being a victim of a violent crime are higher in the eastern portion of the county (1 in 379) compared to the northwest part of the county (1 in 685). 

“We have seen that the policies Cook County implemented have had a noticeable, negative spillover effect into the DuPage suburbs,” Mazzochi said. “I’m proud of the work our county sheriff, local police chiefs, and local district attorneys have done to help keep residents safe. Springfield needs to do more to support their efforts, not adopt statewide bad policies that haven’t worked in Cook, and which won’t make the rest of the state safer.”