DuPage County Sheriff’s corporal leads post-crisis response team

After serving in numerous roles during his long tenure with the DuPage County Sheriff’s Office, including patrol duty and corrections, Cpl. Jeremy Rimmer appeared to be on his way to the K-9 unit.

However, as he was awaiting a K-9 dog, the chief of the DuPage County Sheriff’s Office approached Rimmer asking if he would be interested in leading the post-crisis response team.

At the time, it was a relatively new joint effort between the DuPage County Health Department and the DuPage County Sheriff’s Office to implement a specialized response to mental health crisis incidents.

The sheriff conveyed to Rimmer that his name was brought up again and again to lead the unit and if he took the position at some point in the future, Rimmer could join the K-9 unit.

“That was five years ago and here I am,” Rimmer said.

Because of the time commitment as the head of the post-crisis response team, Rimmer still hasn’t gotten a dog. However, he is considering adding a comfort dog to his team.

In their roles with the crisis response team, Rimmer and Rachel Ibrahim, a counselor with the DuPage County Health Department, head out on calls twice a week, touching base with residents who may be experiencing a mental health issue.

Together, they work to ensure that appropriate connections to treatment and resources are made for residents who may be struggling with drug addiction, alcohol abuse, depression, suicidal tendencies and other mental health issues.

“Jeremy does a great job making sure I am in a safe environment and whatever situation we are walking into, I have full trust in him,” Ibrahim said.

In working together, she said she observed that Rimmer “adopts a social worker mentality in terms [of] figuring out how to build a rapport and connect with the individual.”

Rimmer said that in his role it is important to “meet people where they are” and try to determine how the individual reached the point where the police were called – all in an effort to stop a “revolving door” of police being called to the home.

“My goal is to find out the foundational roots of what is going on,” Rimmer said. “This is the challenging part. They don’t know me.”

He said “instead of throwing a bunch of resources [at them] and saying, ‘Figure it out,’” he takes the time to learn about the individual.

From there, Rimmer and Ibrahim determine whether rehab, a treatment facility, a psychiatrist, psychologist, therapist, social worker or a support group may be an appropriate treatment method.

Some cases are only one visit, Rimmer said. Other cases have been going on for two or three years.

“It is a different kind of stress from when I was a patrol officer,” Rimmer said.

In this role, Rimmer takes on “people’s lifelong challenges,” which takes patience and time.

You can’t be effective if you don’t open up and allow them to express themselves, he said.

Leading the team is something Rimmer said is both a personal and spiritual calling.

Before becoming a police officer, Rimmer was a person who would stop and help a fellow motorist with a flat tire – something that caused his parents much concern.

“I believe being on the face of the earth, you have to have a purpose and this is my purpose to make a difference in other people’s lives,” he said.