Community, Local Police Reports, Park Forest

Report: Officer Tim Jones Making ‘Small Steps Every Day,’ Future Impossible To Predict


Officer Tim Jones
Officer Tim Jones. (PFPD)

Park Forest, IL-(ENEWSPF)- According to a report in the June 3 online edition of the Chicago Tribune, after 11 weeks, “Officer Jones is continuing to make small steps every day,” said Deputy Police Chief Christopher Mannino.

Small steps.

Every day.

This quote especially caught my eye:

“The long-term prognosis is still unknow. This is the most significant event to happen in the history of this department. Every day, he is on our minds.”

The most significant event to happen in the history of this department.

So far, according to the Tribune, about $100,000 has been raised towards Officer Jones’ recovery.

And that may not be enough.

For those of you who understand such things, for those of you who understand that a single-payer health care system in the United States would be most welcome. It would stop all of this insane raising of money for catastrophic injuries. It would stop the numerous bankruptcies people still face today because of inability to pay medical bills.

But, for now, here’s what we know. “Officer Jones is continuing to make small steps every day,” and for that, we should all breathe a sign of relief.

We should all rejoice, somewhere inside.

Officer Tim Jones may still face time upon time for his healing.

He may require so much more.

After the Park Forest Police presented their proposed budget to the village board, I asked one of the Chiefs if Officer Jones is still under 24-hour honor guard by the PFPD.

The answer was no.

Officers, at that time, were not allowed to be with Officer Tim. Why? Because for 8-hours-a-day, eight-hours-a-day, Officer Jones was engaged in physical therapy.

We hope and pray that Officer Tim Jones will soon rejoin his fellow officers on the streets of Park Forest.

Soon, and very soon.

Gary Kopycinski is editor and publisher of eNews Park Forest. Follow him on Twitter at @GaryKopycinski and on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/FrodoJRR, or email him at [email protected]. He served as a village trustee in Park Forest from 2003-2006, and then again from 2007-2015. eNews Park Forest, Inc. is an independent media company and is not affiliated with the Village of Park Forest in any way.


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