During the winter storm nearly two weeks ago, interstate highways and other roadways went from nearly white-out conditions to impassable. All motorists were told that travel conditions were life-threatening and that if they travel and become stranded, help might not come in because of the below-freezing temperatures.

Yet, the Illinois State Police were actively on the roads, responding to calls for help — thousands of them throughout a three-day stretch. Between Sunday and Tuesday, police responded to more than 6,000 incidents, including 3,932 motorist assists, 792 crashes and 534 traffic stops.

The sheer number of incidents the Illinois State Police reported to makes their statewide efforts heroic.

For most of the year, these men and women are invisible to us. We don’t know their names or much about them. 

But, we commend their efforts under some of the most extreme conditions the area has seen in years.