Illinois Law Enforcement Officials Back Thomson Plan

Leading Illinois law enforcement officials say turning the state prison in Thomson, Ill., into a detention center for Guantanamo Bay detainees can be done "without any increased risk to public safety."

In a letter to the Obama administration dated Wednesday, Illinois State Police Director Jonathan Monken and others say no detainees would be released domestically.

And they say the detainees wouldn't be tried in Illinois federal courts.

Officials closed the letter by saying they would never support anything that might compromise their ability to protect and serve Illinois residents.

Also signing the letter were the presidents of the Illinois Sheriff's Association, the Illinois Association of Chiefs of Police and the Illinois Law Enforcement Alarm System.

Before any inmates can be transferred to Thomson or any other maximum-security facility in the country, the Obama administration still needs to resolve the legal issues, such as trial in the U.S., tied to such a transfer.

The town of Thomson is split over the possibility of housing the detainees.