DECATUR, Ill. (WAND) - The Macon County Board and sheriff's office are working to ensure no Department of Children and Family Services worker ever loses their life on the job again.
"This was a result of a homicide that happened with a DCFS worker earlier this year. They're doing a pilot program and they wanted to partner with the sheriff's office," Sheriff Jim Root told WAND News.
On Thursday night, the Macon County Board approved a measure to pay nearly $300,000 for a deputy to go on calls with DCFS workers.
It comes after Diedra Silas was stabbed to death in January while out on a call. Illinois leaders then pledged to never again allow a DCFS worker to be put in harm's way.
"We know what is happening, we know there's just a great need," Debra Kraft, justice committee chairwoman for the Macon County Board, explained.
"DCFS workers have been out there on the front lines doing this work for years and really have had no support from the law enforcement community," Root added.
But that is all about to change thanks to an Illinois bill that will launch a pilot program in Macon County.
"It will act as a deterrent, but it also gives us the ability to deescalate. Those circumstances in which those DCFS workers are out there are sometimes traumatizing to the families and to the children," Root said.
Starting July 1, a deputy will be assigned full time to the local DCFS office. The law enforcement officer will be running threat assessments and determining which calls could be dangerous for social workers.
"Provide the assistance that they need for the assessments of which houses that they need security for, and then go out on those security details for the purpose of making sure those workers are safe," Root explained.
The state is paying for the deputy's salary, benefits and gear for two years as part of a pilot program. Kraft said that made it an easy decision for the Macon County Board to sign on.
"The commitment of our county board that we do care for the safety of our employees as well as the citizens in our county," Kraft explained.
Root said he hopes this will help save lives.
"They're very protective of their children. So anytime you have that potential, then you have the potential for some sort of violence when DCFS is going to remove a child from the home," Root said.
The pilot program includes a handful of other Illinois counties. Advocates hope if the program is a success, it can be replicated in every county statewide.
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