By Dave Dahl

SPRINGFIELD – Lawmakers grilling the Department of Children and Family Services director don’t want to forget Deidre Silas.

Silas is the DCFS employee killed, allegedly by a man whose house she was visiting to check on children near Springfield. State Rep. Tony McCombie (R-Savanna) and director Marc Smith discussed implementation of a law passed in Silas’ honor.

McCombie: “Can I assume that the training has started for the pepper spray for your workers?”

Smith: “We’re developing the training protocols and policy protocols around pepper spray use.”

McCombie: “What is the timeline for that, sir?”

Smith: “We hope to have – I can’t specifically say, because I don’t want to be nailed down to a date – but we are absolutely working that – for new policies and procedures, there (is a) tremendous amount of protocols that have to take place.”

That was not the only exchange which frustrated lawmakers on the Legislative Audit Commission. Smith contended that even with hundreds of unfilled positions, DCFS has enough staff members to meet its mission.

State Sen. Chapin Rose (R-Mahomet) even said, “You are delusional.”

The commission looked into a blistering report of shoddy record keeping and even failing to take kids to the dentist.

Dave Dahl can be reached at [email protected].