President Cicero proposes death penalty and stricter laws after murder of detective

CICERO, Ill. – Cicero Town President Larry Dominick is calling for tougher penalties for criminals who injure or kill police officers, including reinstating the death penalty in Illinois.

Dominick’s request came after the recent killing of Oak Park police Detective Allan Reddins, who was fatally shot Friday morning while responding to a call about a suspect with a gun.

“I believe that harsher mandatory sentences for injuring or killing a police officer will send a clear message to criminals that if they cross that line they will face severe prison terms and penalties, and even the death penalty,” Dominick said.

Dominick, a 20-year veteran of the police force, stressed the need to protect officers who risk their lives every day. He proposed a mandatory prison sentence of 20 years for pointing a gun at an officer, 40 years for shooting an officer and the death penalty for killing an officer.

Illinois abolished the death penalty in 2011. However, Dominick argued that the current legal framework is not enough to deter violent crimes against law enforcement. He pointed to the deaths of four Chicago police officers in the past two years as evidence of the growing danger they face.

Officer Andrés Vásquez Lasso, 32, was fatally shot on March 1, 2023 while responding to a domestic disturbance in the Gage Park neighborhood.

24-year-old officer Aréanah Preston was shot outside her home on May 6, 2023, after finishing her shift.

On April 21, 2024, 30-year-old officer Luis Huesca was ambushed and fatally shot on his way home from work.

Most recently, 26-year-old officer Enrique Martinez was killed on November 4, 2024 during a traffic stop on the city’s south side.