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1
SENATE RESOLUTION

 
2    WHEREAS, The law enforcement profession requires police
3officers to perform their duties in constant high-stress
4situations involving physical and psychological trauma, as
5well as daily exposure to human indecency and pain; and
 
6    WHEREAS, The Illinois Suicide Prevention Resource Center
72005 report indicates that the Illinois suicide rate is 9.1 per
8100,000 people; firearms represent the leading method of
9suicide, while males account for 81% of Illinois suicides; and
 
10    WHEREAS, A 2009 study compared more than 30 studies and
11concluded that the national rate of police officer suicide is
1217 per 100,000 officers; and
 
13    WHEREAS, An informal survey conducted in 2008 at a major
14metropolitan police department in Illinois indicated that, of
15142 responding officers, 85% reported knowing someone in law
16enforcement who had attempted suicide; and
 
17    WHEREAS, The maintenance of a police force and the carrying
18out of their official duties is of utmost importance to the
19health, safety, and welfare of all citizens of the State of
20Illinois; and
 

 

 

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1    WHEREAS, It is in the best interest of the people of the
2State of Illinois to support the health of its law enforcement
3officers so that they may perform their duties to the best of
4their abilities; and
 
5    WHEREAS, The Illinois Law Enforcement Training Standards
6Board is responsible for police training and education
7throughout the State of Illinois; therefore, be it
 
8    RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE NINETY-SEVENTH GENERAL
9ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that the Illinois Law
10Enforcement Training Standards Board shall convene a Task Force
11on Police Officer Suicide in Illinois within one month after
12the adoption of this resolution to study and evaluate all
13available data on the subject and submit its findings and make
14recommendations for what action, if any, may be necessary to
15prevent police officer suicide in the State of Illinois; and be
16it further
 
17    RESOLVED, That the Task Force shall be composed of at least
1810 members, and appointed as follows: (1) one designee from the
19Illinois Law Enforcement Training Standards Board, (2) one
20designee from the Illinois Law Enforcement Education
21Foundation, (3) one designee from the Illinois Critical
22Incident Support Team, (4) one designee from the Illinois
23Fraternal Order of Police, (5) the U.S. Attorney for the

 

 

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1Central District of Illinois or his designee, (6) one designee
2from the Illinois Association of Chiefs of Police, (7)one
3designee from the Illinois Sheriffs Association, (8) one
4designee from the Chicago Police Department Peer Support
5program, (9) one designee from the State chapter of the
6National Alliance for the Mentally Ill, (10) one designee with
7expertise in conducting academic studies, and (11) any other
8members as the chair may designate; the chair shall be elected
9from the membership; and be it further
 
10    RESOLVED, That the members of this Task Force shall serve
11without compensation, but shall be reimbursed for expenses
12necessary to complete its task; and be it further
 
13    RESOLVED, That the Board shall, after consideration of the
14report of the Task Force, submit to the General Assembly for
15its consideration, no later than December 31, 2012, its
16recommendations for what action, if any, may be necessary to
17prevent police officer suicide in the State of Illinois.