SPRINGFIELD, IL-(Effingham Radio)- The annual Illinois Peace Officers Memorial Service to honor law enforcement officers killed in Illinois in the line of duty, including 12 who died in late 2021 and during 2022, was held Thursday, May 4 at the Illinois Peace Officer Memorial sculpture on the Illinois State Capitol grounds in Springfield.
“This annual ceremony honors those who made the ultimate sacrifice while serving their communities,” said Illinois Fraternal Order of Police (FOP) State Lodge President Chris Southwood. “Every man and woman in this difficult and dangerous profession knows the risks they face every time they put on the badge. This memorial service is a testament to those risks and to the selfless courage of the officers who laid down their lives to keep us safe.”
The 12 officers killed during late 2021 and in 2022 include: Officer Nicholas Kozak, Forest Park Police Department, November 27, 2021; Officer James R. Svec, Chicago Police Department, December 8, 2021; CBP Canine Officer Jeffrey P. Dela Cruz, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, December 23, 2021; Officer Jose M. Huerta, Chicago Police Department, December 23, 2021; Detective Joseph A. Tripoli, Chicago Police Department, January 3, 2022; Deputy Sheriff Michael John Queeney, Will County Sheriff’s Office, January 8, 2022; Officer Brian Romel Shields, Aurora Police Department, January 11, 2022; Deputy Sheriff Joseph Robert Tinoco, Cook County Sheriff’s Department, January 13, 2022; Sergeant Kenneth John Thurman Sr., Aurora Police Department, January 19, 2022; Deputy Sheriff Brian J. Norton, Ford County Sheriff’s Office, February 5, 2022; Officer Brian Lee Sember, Ottawa Police Department, April 3, 2022; and Deputy Sheriff Nicholas Donald Weist, Knox County Sheriff’s Office, April 29, 2022.
In addition, five officers who were confirmed to have died in the line of duty in the past but who had not yet been officially included on the memorial were recognized. These include: Sergeant Claude E. Bowman, Cook County Highway Patrol, July 7, 1923; Sergeant Francis J. McGraw, Chicago Police Department, May 6, 1942; Officer Charles Hibsch, Chicago Police Department, November 9, 1947; Officer Dennis F. Collins, Chicago Police Department, July 3, 1953; and Deputy John Venton Donaldson Sr., Ogle County Sheriff’s
The day’s observance began with the lineup of squad cars from around the state at the Illinois State Fairgrounds. The procession departed the fairgrounds and arrived at the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception for a memorial church service. The procession then traveled to the State Capitol for the 11 a.m. ceremony.
The Illinois FOP State Lodge is one of the founding organizations of the Illinois Peace Officers Memorial. The other founding organizations include theIllinois Association of Chiefs of Police, Illinois Police Association, Illinois Sheriff’s Association, and Police Benevolent and Protective Association. Supporting organizations include Blue Knights of Illinois, Illinois Gold Star Families, and Illinois Concerns of Police Survivors (COPS)
The Illinois Police Officers Memorial Committee was established in 1985. The monument in Springfield bears the names of the officers who have made the ultimate sacrifice while serving their communities. Every year on the first Thursday of May, they hold a ceremony to pay tribute to fallen officers and their families. For more information, visit www.illinoispolicememorial.org
The Fraternal Order of Police, founded in 1915, is the largest organization of sworn law enforcement officers in the United States. With a proud tradition of officers representing officers, the FOP is the most respected and most recognized police organization in the country. The Illinois FOP, chartered in 1963, is the second largest State Lodge, proudly representing more than 34,000 active duty and retired police officers – more than 10 percent of all FOP members nationwide. Visit www.ilfop.org for more information.
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