Difficult Announcement: Eau Claire County Sheriff Death Due to Suicide

Thursday, December 1st, 2022 -- 12:00 PM

(Bob Hague, WRN) A difficult day in Eau Claire, for the announcement that the September death of Sheriff Ron Kramer was due to suicide.

Eau Claire Police Chief Matt Rokus spoke at a Wednesday press conference. “Suicide is hard to talk about. It's difficult. In this situation, we have a prominent public figure in our community. And we have to balance the community's right to know balance that with sensitivity towards the family.”

Rokus also said, “We don't want to sensationalize this, but we don't want to ignore it as well. Our first responders, our police officers, firefighters have a very difficult job. They deal with very difficult subject matter on a daily basis. We need to recognize that.”

Rokus said first responders, police officers and firefighters have a very difficult job. Mental health services have been made available to sheriff’s department staff in the wake of Kramer’s death. Kramer, who died on September 13, had recently announced his retirement after 26 years as Eau Claire County Sheriff.

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