Good morning officers, families, dignitaries and everyone present today to honor the sacrifices of our fallen heroes and members of law enforcement, including for the first time ever, our furry heroes, the K-9 honorees. Thank you for coming. A special thank you to Dave Johnson – for your leadership and the invitation to join you all here today.
Here we are again. And again. And again. Brought together to support each other and grieve together. Again, adding more names to the list of fallen officers. A list we all wish was empty. But it’s not. It’s got so many names on it. This year, it has 9 more. Nine families joining the club that no one ever wants to join – the Gold Star Families. My heart goes out to each of you. I’m so sorry for your loss. And I wish I could say, never again. Not one more name. But we all know there will be more. And we will meet here again. And again. And again.
I consider it a huge honor to have the privilege every year to get to share some words with all of you. But how do I put words together that will do justice to our heroic officers who sacrificed their lives in service to others. How do I do right with my words, to honor those of you thankfully still with us, who continue to put your lives on the line for us every day? How can my words ever be enough to bring even the tiniest comfort to families who have jagged holes in their hearts?
Words don’t really matter. Actions do.
When we tell the police that we love them and respect them but enact policies that hurt them and make them less safe, we’re not loving or respecting them.
Even though I don’t make law enforcement policy in my statewide comptroller position, as the sister of a police officer and as an elected official with a voice, when I reflect on whether I’ve done enough to speak up for you or speak out against policies that put you at risk, I recognize that I could have and can do more.
PLATE OF BUTTONS
I have a big piece of furniture, a big wine buffet at the entrance of my house. Ironically enough, there’s no wine in it, but that’s not the point of my story. The point is that when I first put that piece of furniture there, I put a really pretty decorative glass plate on top in the middle of the buffet. I thought it looked nice. One day I came home from campaigning, and I took my political button off my coat and threw it on the plate. I was city clerk of Chicago at the time. Over time, it became a collection plate for political buttons – every year, adding new ones from different candidates running for other offices.
As an elected official, I have attended many funerals for fallen police officers. It is now common to get a button of the fallen officer, at the wake or visitation service. I started putting those buttons on the plate with my political buttons. The sad truth is that the buttons of the fallen officers whose services or funerals I’ve attended, are now overtaking my political button collection. The most recent buttons added to that collection were Officer Luis Huesca and Officer Enrique Martinez’ buttons. I was at Mrs. Huesca’s home, and I saw the collection that her own son had of his colleagues, of his friends who had died in the line of service, the first most tragic death for him starting with his friend and fellow officer Eduardo Marmalejo, followed by Officer Conrad Gary. Imagine that his collection as it grew – and it did grow – ended with his own button being added to that collection. I’ve decided to keep the buttons of the fallen officers, top and center view, for me to look at their faces every time I enter or leave my home. They are a sad but stark reminder of the fact that the policy decisions made by the names on the political buttons beneath them, will have an impact on how many more police officer buttons are added to that plate.
When we give more rights to the criminals then we do to our police officers, we end up with dead officers and increased crime in our communities. That’ll mean more buttons on that plate.
Allowing people accused of violent crimes like murder, attempted murder, or predatory sexual assault to be released on electronic monitoring, with two days a week off the monitoring grid is terrible policy.
Chicago Police Officer Enrique Martinez would be with us right now, and not on a button or on the memorial wall, if the monster that murdered him was locked up instead of out committing crimes while on an electronic monitor.
So we can’t say we love the police and then fail them miserably – keep passing laws or policies that make their jobs harder and put them at greater risk.
I’ve said this before but it’s worth repeating. It is wrong to show more concern for the cop killer than for the cop.
It is time to get rid of policies that have not made our communities safer and have in fact, put officers and residents at risk – like the provision in the SAFE-T Act that permits violent offenders accused of heinous crimes, to be released on electronic monitoring with two days off.
Besides offering condolences to Mrs. Martinez, let’s honor her son’s sacrifice by fixing this. There’s no shame in course correcting. But there is shame in not fixing mistakes.
MALISSA TORRES
In addition to the officers whose names will be added to the memorial wall today, there is one that will not, but I want to mention. My heart goes out to Chicago Police Officer Malissa Torres, her family, and her CPD family. She tragically took her own life just a few weeks ago. This is a reminder that police work is perhaps the most physically and mentally unhealthy of all professions. It has a culture of silence that prevents an officer from asking for help and instead carrying their pain and trauma, alone, until they can no longer bear it.
And as unsafe as it is out in the streets, police officers are more likely to die by suicide than in the line of duty.
This job strains relationships. Stressors like work/life balance challenges, lack of support, being overworked, burnt out. These things lead to depression and worse yet, to making terrible decisions you can’t undo. Know that you are not alone. That no matter how impossible and hopeless your situation might feel, there is always someone who loves you and needs you to fight through those demons. There is help for you.
Last weekend, I visited Cornerstone Retreat in Orion, IL near the Quad Cities. Dan & Tammy Roach are building something truly special: a 40-acre retreat focused on emotional health & wellness for first responders and their families. This place isn’t just a retreat – it’s a lifeline. They are already saving lives.
So whether it’s at an incredible place like theirs that specializes in peer-to-peer support, or just confiding in a friend, please find the strength to let someone in and get help.
CLOSING
In terms of the officers still with us, let’s appreciate that these brave men and women put on their uniform and do so knowing that they might not make it home at the end of their watch – too often sacrificing their lives for absolute strangers. But these officers are not strangers. They’re human beings. They have feelings and families. They’re our brothers and sisters. Sons and daughters. Husbands and wives. Moms and dads. They chose a profession, a calling, to deal with the worst elements of society, so that we don’t have to. So that we can naively think that the world is safer than it is.
From the bottom of my heart, to all the brave men and women who wear the uniform to protect us: Thank you. I love you for it.
But as I said last year, these officers don’t need us to love them. What they NEED is for their elected officials, their command, and the public to let them do their jobs.
When criminals get the benefit of the doubt while police are second-guessed at every turn, we fail our officers and we fail to keep our society safe.
Let’s honor our fallen heroes by stepping up for those who are still alive, risking their lives for all of us in this most honorable but thankless job.
I thank you and pray that St. Michael protect you, God bless you, and may you always make it home safely at the end of your watch.
Discuss.
