EFFINGHAM, Ill. (WAND) - More than 400 criminal justice agencies throughout southern Illinois met Wednesday for the 19th Annual Southern Illinois Criminal Justice Summit (SICJS).
In 2019, the theme of the SICJS was the Health and Wellness of the Law Enforcement Culture. Director of Illinois State Police Brendan Kelly says health goes beyond being physically fit and eating a well-balanced meal.
"One of the topics that we're going to be discussing is reducing organizational stress. Looking at an entire organization ... an entire police department or sheriff's department or other law enforcement agencies," Kelly said.
By this, he means making sure everyone is communicating, being attentive and listening to one another. He says without this, it can be a very stressful environment.
"The things that they are exposed to on a regular basis can be extremely traumatic," he said. "They can have a lot of long-term psychological effects and that's part of the job, but we have to make (sure) that everyone that is involved from the top down is proactively checking that we are addressing those issues before they become things that can lead to some very negative outcomes."
One of the biggest risks at this time is suicide and substance abuse.
"The bigger risk right now is actually suicide," he added. "The high rate of suicide among people that work with the criminal system is something that has escalated over the course of the years."
Members of law enforcement put themselves on the line of duty each day and face difficult challenges. Working on their health cannot be ignored and is needed to better serve the community.
