Park Forest police detective Tim Jones shot in line of duty nearly 10 years ago dies at 34

Beloved Park Forest Detective Tim Jones dies

The Park Forest Police Department is remembering one of its beloved brothers in blue. Detective Tim Jones died yesterday after a long fight to recover from injuries he suffered when he was shot on the job in 2016.  Kasey Chronis spoke with Park Forest's Police Chief who shares how Jones' legacy will live on through the department.

PARK FOREST, Ill. - Park Forest Police Detective Tim Jones, who was shot in the line of duty nearly 10 years ago, has died, the department announced Thursday. He was 34.

What they're saying:

After nearly 10 years in recovery from a traumatic brain injury he sustained on the job, Jones died on Wednesday. 
Jones' death is the Park Forest Police Department's first line-of-duty loss. 

"Tim’s long and difficult battle came to an end. And while our hearts are broken, we remain incredibly proud of the fight he gave. Tim will always be an inspiration and a reminder of the power of strength, faith, and the unwavering support of family and loved ones," a statement from the Park Forest Police Department read.

What they're saying:

Park Forest Police Chief Brian Rzyski said Jones' example still sets the standard for the department's new officers.

"If we had a police department filled with Tim Joneses, there would be no need for a chief because he was everything," Rzyski said. 

On Thursday, Rzyski shared some of his fondest memories of Jones. When Jones was a rookie, Rzyski was the detective commander — and he often saw Jones writing up reports, so he’d stop by to check in on him.

"Every time I did that, I would come back to the detective office and I would shut the door and I would look at everyone in the room and I would go, 'I'm telling you what, that Tim Jones, he is something else and he is going places.' And I truly meant it. He was just a wonderful, wonderful human being," Rzyski said. 

Jones' story will remain a testament to the power of determination — and Rzyski says he will continue to be an inspiration to his brothers and sisters in blue. 

"I was speaking to his mother earlier this morning and she goes, 'he's certainly dancing, he's certainly dancing,'" Rzyski shared.

Tim Jones | Park Forest Police Department

The backstory:

Jones was a rookie police officer when he was critically wounded while arresting an armed burglary suspect in March 2016. He was shot three times — in the head and neck — and narrowly survived. 

Doctors initially did not think Jones would make it after suffering a traumatic brain injury, but defied the odds.

Through recovery, Chief Rzyski said Jones never stopped smiling. At the same time, the community never wavered in their support. 

"Endless amount of support throughout these years, it's never stopped. It's year, after year, after year," Rzyski said. "We can't go a week without someone approaching one of our officers and asking, 'how's Tim?'"

In 2018, the street outside of the police department was designated as 'Honorary Officer Tim Jones Way.'

Then in 2021, five years after the shooting, Jones earned the rank of detective, one of his lifelong dreams.

"The most important thing is, Tim didn't stop. Tim didn't stop, and most people would have stopped and if Tim wasn't so mentally and physically strong, he would not have survived. That's a fact; that's a fact. He's a medical anomaly," Rzyski said. "And to continue at such a pace and have that grit, that drive, that fight in him, those qualities — a lot of people may seek but don't truly have, and he had all of them."

Jones is a Tinley Park High School alum and played football at the University of Indianapolis. After college, he joined the force — becoming a recruit at the Suburban Law Enforcement Academy, where each year, the 'Timothy Jones Physical Fitness Award' is now given to a recruit.

What's next:

Public funeral arrangements will be announced by the Park Forest Police Department as details become available.

In the meantime, counseling services are being offered to members of the department who are in need of support. 

RELATED: Goal Achieved: Park Forest police officer wounded 5 years ago becomes detective