01/05/2024
Thanks Pat for all your hard work and dedication involving this important bill, as a department we are very proud of you and your accomplishment on this.
Today Representative Joel Kitchens presented Chief Deputy Patrick McCarty with a copy of the signed bill he was instrumental in getting passed. The bill goes a long way in helping emergency responders throughout the state. Act 220 benefits not only law enforcement, but all emergency responders in Wisconsin. This bill provides for privileged communications between a first responder and a member of their peer support team. The idea behind peer support is deputies helping deputies, intervening in problems in their infancy rather than allowing them to fester and grow. Lessening the stigma of asking for help and remove the barriers for deputies needing help benefits our deputies, our agency and our entire community. Mentally healthy deputies make better decisions and provide better services to our citizens, resulting in better outcomes for our entire community.