Champaign County State's Attorney John Piland declared his intention to run for re-election Thursday morning at the Champaign County Republican Headquarters, 106 W. Springfield Ave., Champaign.

Piland has served as state's attorney since 1995.

Local Republicans and community supporters attended the 10 a.m. meeting at which Piland talked about his past accomplishments as state's attorney and hopes for the future.

Piland said he plans to continue his goal of making Champaign County a better and safer place to live by making sure dangerous criminals go to jail.

State Rep. Chapin Rose (R-Charleston) who formerly was an intern in Piland's office, made a brief introductory speech.

Rose lauded the job Piland has done in office, saying he is willing to take the initiative to ask the state legislature to change statutes in order to help the county.

However, Piland has been criticized by his opponents in the race: Republican Bruce Ratcliffe, an Urbana attorney and former Illinois assistant attorney general, and Democrat Julia Rietz, an Urbana attorney and former assistant state's attorney in Champaign.

Both Ratcliffe and Rietz said they are concerned about the state's attorney's office excessively and inconsistently charging people.

For instance, sometimes cases of shoplifting become charges of burglary for some people while the charges are dropped for others, Ratcliffe said.

Rietz said convicting people of felonies over more minor offenses unnecessarily overcrowds the judicial system, creating a backlog of cases.

Ratcliffe said the state's attorney's office compels people to go to trial when it is not necessary or to plead guilty to a charge that makes them a felon.

Rietz said she is also concerned about communication breaking down between the state's attorney's office and other areas such as the judiciary, law enforcement and defense attorneys.

Piland said criticism by opponents will not affect him much since his opponents seem to criticize any stance he takes.

"Yogi Berra once said, 'When you come to a fork in the road, take it,'" Piland said. "My opponents say 'When Piland comes to a fork in the road, whatever path he takes, criticize him.'"