Rockford Sun

The House Police and First Responders Committee recently discussed the mental health of first responders in Illinois after several first responders committed suicide this year.

Rep. Christine Winger (R-Itasca) thanked panel members before hearing testimony about the issue during an Oct. 10 hearing.

"I also want to acknowledge Nicholas Gore’s and his success and giving back to others," Winger said. "Thank you."

Winger also suggested to panels the need for helping retired first responders and their families in one of their programs.

"I've heard a lot of focus on active first responders, but do you also help people that are retired and later in life?" Winger asked. "This has a tendency of following them and their families. Is there a program to help them as well?"

Panel members noted that there is something to be said about deaths coming quicker after retirement.

"There's something about leaving the brotherhood and sisterhood — that support system we have in the firehouses and the roll call rooms," Scott Pavlock, the investigations sergeant at Lake Zurich Police Department, said. "Something does happen. It's worth noting that there is not enough help out there. I think more needs to be done."

Many speakers also discussed the trauma that first responders witness every day on the job.

Rep. John M. Cabello (R-Machesney Park) asked several questions regarding vacation time that officers are allotted each year.

Fraternal Order of Police Lodge 7 President Kevin Graham noted that police officers get approximately 200 hours of vacation time. However, vacations are often canceled, he said.

"That has a tremendous effect," Graham said.

Officers often get their vacation time taken away for the "good of the department," which is not healthy for the officers, Graham said.

Cabello asked how Graham would feel if his officers could have more time off.

"If we're working officers too hard, that is going to manifest its way out to having problems out of the department," Graham said. "It's important officers have time off and spend time with their families."

Graham said good mental health in the police department helps everyone.

"That's my point," Cabello said. "We have officers going from call to call ... with no breaks in their shift, they're working several days in a row. I can't be perfect every second of every day and I don't think we should be able to ask our police officers to be perfect every second of every day when they're seeing the people they protect at their worst."

Cabello said he wanted to find a way to allow more time off for officers so that they can decompress and understand that they are human and have a little more time to heal themselves.

Cabello also suggested mandatory psychiatric testing for officers each year.