WAUKESHA, Wis. — State DCI Special Agent Jay Balchunas died from a shooting in November 2004. Balchunas was conducting surveillance in Milwaukee as part of the DOJ/FBI Fall Threat Initiative when he was fatally wounded.
Nearly 20 years later, Waukesha Police Chief Dan Thompson still wrestles with what happened that night. Thompson worked alongside Balchunas as part of HIDTA (High-Intensity Drug Trafficking Area) and Balchunas was filling in for him.
“I decided to take off work and my supervisor told me you need to find a replacement,” Thompson told WTMJ N.O.W. “The replacement happened to be Jay Balchunas. He said ‘I got your back, go ahead and take off.'”
On that evening, Balchunas was shot. He died five days later.
“If I would’ve worked, he’d still be here,” Thompson explained.
Thompson struggled with mental health following the shooting. He recalled Balchunas’ mother telling him “Jay was honored to take that shift, don’t take it away from him.’
“[Her telling me that] was the first time I realized law enforcement officers are human beings.”
The Chief shared the story as an example of why it’s so important for law enforcement officers and supervisors to seek help when necessary.
“We are human beings, we do have feelings,” he said. “It’s ok to be resilient. I was hit with something traumatic, but not only can I survive it, I can use it to be a stronger person and thrive from it. I can help others.”
Thompson helped create an executive peer support group for law enforcement supervisors. The group is trained to work together to assist other law enforcement leaders in dealing with trauma.
He joined WTMJ N.O.W. on Wednesday to discuss the Waukesha Christmas Parade attack, which took place nearly 2 years ago.
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