Dupage Policy Journal

Sean Noonan, a candidate for DuPage County sheriff, has criticized Illinois' SAFE-T Act, stating that it prioritizes criminals over community safety. He also expressed support for President Trump's executive order on cashless bail.

"Governor Pritzker's so-called ‘SAFE-T Act' has already tied the hands of law enforcement and put dangerous criminals back on our streets," said Noonan, Candidate for Sheriff. "Now, with President Trump standing firm against cashless bail, Illinois finally has a chance to put victims and communities first instead of criminals. DuPage families deserve real safety, not political experiments that fail in Chicago and spread across the state. I will continue fighting to restore accountability and keep violent offenders where they belong — behind bars."

On August 25, 2025, President Trump signed a series of executive orders aimed at reinforcing his law-and-order agenda. According to the White House, one of these orders threatens to withhold federal funding from jurisdictions implementing cashless bail policies, arguing that such policies endanger public safety. This move could impact states like Illinois, New York, New Jersey, and Washington D.C., potentially compelling them to reconsider their pretrial release systems if they wish to retain federal support.

"As President, I will require commonsense policies that protect Americans’ safety and well-being by incarcerating individuals who are known threats," Trump said in the order. "It is therefore the policy of my Administration that Federal policies and resources should not be used to support jurisdictions with cashless bail policies, to the maximum extent permitted by law."

In 2023, Illinois enacted the SAFE-T Act, becoming the first state to fully eliminate cash bail. The legislation mandates that pretrial release decisions be determined by judges based on a defendant’s risk level rather than their ability to pay upfront financial bonds. Supporters argue this addresses racial and economic inequities; however, critics contend it undermines public safety and accountability.

According to the Illinois Policy Institute, the SAFE-T Act also reforms policing by banning chokeholds and requiring all law enforcement agencies to adopt body cameras by 2025. It expands the attorney general’s authority to investigate police misconduct, allows anonymous complaints, and mandates retention of officer disciplinary records. Additional provisions change correctional policies by reforming the felony-murder rule, reducing certain mandatory minimums, and ending "prison gerrymandering" by counting incarcerated people at their last known residence for redistricting.

Noonan is running for DuPage County Sheriff while currently serving as a patrol sergeant with the Western Springs Police Department.