Johnson Passes Resolution Honoring the Lives of Fallen Correctional Officers

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. – State Rep. Gregg Johnson, D-Rock Island, passed a resolution on Thursday, May 28 calling for a memorial to be established on the Illinois State Capitol Complex honoring the lives of correctional officers who have fallen in the line of duty. 

“Our correctional officers have a difficult, grueling job that often goes unnoticed,” said Johnson. “But there is no denying the essential work they do every day to keep our communities safe. This memorial would recognize and honor those correctional officers who have paid the ultimate sacrifice.”

Johnson’s House Resolution 815 calls upon the Office of the Architect to establish a Corrections Fallen Heroes Memorial on State Capitol Grounds. Its purpose is to not only recognize the lives of correctional officers who have lost their lives in the line of duty, but to also acknowledge the inherent risk and danger that they must confront daily while serving the public. 

Correctional officers face struggles that many people are not forced to confront in their daily lives, and they have an average life expectancy of only 59 years. Across all states, Illinois has the third highest fatality rate for correctional officers who have lost their lives in the line of duty. 

Currently, there is a Memorial Wall for fallen heroes of the Illinois Department of Corrections (IDOC) at their training ground in Springfield, but they are in the process of vacating the property. With the IDOC leaving, the Memorial Wall is no longer available for public viewing, so it has become necessary to establish a memorial at a different location. With the Illinois State Capitol already hosting memorial structures for firefighters and police officers, it is the ideal location to either move the Memorial Wall or establish a new memorial. 

“We can’t let the sacrifice of our correctional officers be forgotten,” said Johnson. “It’s time that we move their memorial to the State Capitol, so anyone can come and remember the lives of these exceptional people.”