UNIT II - ABUSED, NEGLECTED, OR DEPENDENT MINORS (ARTICLE II, 705 ILCS 405/2)

F. Duties (705 ILCS 405/2-6): Once a Law Enforcement Officer takes a minor into custody, he or she is obligated to perform certain duties that are spelled out in Section 2-6 of the Juvenile Court Act. For instance, the Officer must:

Immediately make a reasonable attempt to notify the parent or person legally responsible for the child's care or with whom the child resides that the child has been taken into custody and where he or she is being held.

Take the minor, without any unnecessary delay, to his or her agency's Juvenile Police Officer (for cases in which the Officer has a warrant).

Place the minor into temporary protective custody and immediately notify the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services at 1-800-25-ABUSE (1-800-252-2873) (for cases in which the Officer does not have a warrant). Reporting to DCFS may also be done on-line but reserved only for non-life threatening and non-emergency incidents of abuse or neglect. DCFS On-Line Reporting at https://childabuse.illinois.gov

Traumatic events such as physical or sexual abuse may make cases particularly difficult to investigate. For example, an abused child being interviewed by an Officer may display a careless or angry attitude, thus making him/her uncooperative. Even though Officers may not realize it, every one of them having contact with a child plays an important role in that child's life. The Juvenile Officer must remember that his or her demeanor has a direct impact upon abuse cases. Guidelines contained in the Abuse and Neglect Child Reporting Act (325 ILCS 5/7) should be followed by every Officer. Again, it is important to remember that Law Enforcement Officers are Mandated Reporters who must notify the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services of suspected abuse or neglect at 1-800-25ABUSE.

If there is reasonable cause to suspect that a minor has died as a result of abuse or neglect, the Law Enforcement Officer must immediately report such suspected abuse or neglect to his or her jurisdiction's medical examiner or coroner.