Dept. of Children & Family Services Investigators Face Dangerous Work Environment

Tuesday, November 21, 2017 | 0

At least 12 employees of Illinois' Department of Children and Family Services have been attacked or seriously threatened as they entered homes since 2013, a Chicago Tribune records analysis found.

The Tribune performed its analysis by reviewing workers' compensation records and police reports, and interviewing DCFS officials.

In 2013, a worker needed weeks off after a beating left her with an eye injury that still affects her.

In 2014, one worker needed two months off after she was beaten up by the mother of a child she was attempting to take into protective custody. 

And Pamela Sue Knight, a 59-year-old DCFS investigator, is still in a coma seven weeks after a 25-year-old man attacked her when she tried to take custody of a 2-year-old who had previously been taken from him. 

Her coworkers in DCFS' Sterling field office were badly shaken by the attack on their "patient and even-tempered" colleague, DCFS Director Beverly Walker said. They have been given paid time off and counseling to deal with their pain, Walker said. 

A bill introduced earlier this month would give DCFS workers the same protections as police officers and firefighters by making it a Class 1 felony to assault a DCFS worker performing official duties. Rep. Brian Stewart, R-Freeport, filed House Bill 4147 on Nov. 6.

Of HB 4147, DCFS Senior Deputy Director Neil Skene said the agency "welcome(s) everybody's involvement to figure out what more we could do to protect the workers when they're out in these dangerous situations."