A year after approving death benefits for first responders who die from suicide, city begins making payments
CHICAGO (CBS) -- It was a fight started by brokenhearted families of Chicago's first responders who've died by suicide; to receive the same benefits as police and firefighters who died in the line of duty.
Last June, the Chicago City Council passed an ordinance granting those families work-related death benefits. A year later, in the last few weeks, those payments have finally started going out.
Julie Troglia received one. Her husband, Chicago police officer Jeff Troglia, died by suicide in 2021.
"I mean it's great that this is finally happening, but I just wish it was not the case for my family and so many others," she said. "It's bittersweet. We miss Jeff every day. Nothing will ever make that any better."
What do those benefits mean when it comes to providing for her girls and caring for her family moving forward?
"Franny is now 13, Maddie is now 5, and Megan is 3, and they will spend the rest of their life without their father, and he gave his entire life to this city, and we lost him to the city. So a little bit of reprieve and help financially goes a long way," she said.
Troglia's work in trying to get these benefits for families impacted by loss by suicide goes beyond just the death, and what happens after, but what's leading up to it – the conditions these officers are working in.
"There's so much more that administration needs to be doing in supporting, and backing, and providing reasonable work hours, adequate rest, and overall mental wellness for all the officers," she said.
CBS 2 reached out to the Chicago Police Department, the mayor's office, and several other city offices to ask about the number of families newly receiving these death benefits, but they have yet to share that information.
Data from CPD shows a total of 25 police officers died by suicide from 2018 through 2022.