Sedgwick County Sheriff emphasizes mental health one year after deputy killed
WICHITA, Kan. (KSNT) – Sept. 16 marks one year since the tragic death of Sedgwick County Deputy Robert Kunze.
Kunze left behind a wife, a young daughter and dozens of deputies who considered him family. Kunze was killed in the line of duty while confronting a suspect in west Sedgwick County.
“I don’t think you ever fully heal from losing a family member,” said Sedgwick County Sheriff Jeff Easter.
Kunze will always be remembered as part of the family at the Sedgwick County Sheriff’s Office.
“Moreso his sense of humor, the type of absolute professional deputy he was,” Easter said. “We miss his smile. He had a wicked sense of humor. We miss all that.”
Following his death, Kunze’s funeral was attended by hundreds of people both in and outside law enforcement. Easter said they still have not fully recovered from losing their brother in blue.
“Our heart still goes out to them, and we tell them all the time, whatever you need, you are part of the family, and we are here,” Easter said.
Kunze’s presence is missed, but he is still showing up in a way that Easter said is helping more deputies deal with mental health.
“This is something that has to be taught on a regular basis so that deputies understand, and we understand as a command staff, that this is important,” Easter said. “We have got to train on this because it is the livelihood of the deputies.”
The sheriff said they are doing more than they ever have to make sure deputies who still, a day later, had to be back on the streets are okay, and their mental health is healthy.
“The resiliency training, the peer support stuff we are looking at,” Easter said. “We’ve started sending about five to six people to training to bring that information back here to start instituting at the training level, the academy level. Just like when my brother was killed, people would say there will something good out of it. For the sheriff’s office, I think this is the good that will come out of the tragedy we experienced.”
It’s a tragedy the Sedgwick County Sheriff’s Office will never forget, and a hero who will always be remembered for what he has given back to his fellow deputies.
“I have never seen support as much and continued support since Deputy Kunze died,” Easter said.
Sheriff Easter said Monday all deputies will be wearing black bands around their badges to honor Deputy Robert Kunze.