Page 43 - December 2018

Honoring a Hero
was a chance to hesitate. Not when you’re somebody like that.” As he tended to the trailer that the The Brotherhood for the Fallen had set up at the visitation to provide hot coffee, snacks and resources of condolence for officers enduring the wait to pay respects, Lieutenant Bob Kane recounted how officers took off when it all went down at Mercy Hospital. He was the watch opera- tions lieutenant in 001 when the call came. Jimenez and Zambra- no were dropping off some paperwork at the time, and a pack of
officers “grabbed their stuff and responded,” according to Kane. That type of decision is the split-second reaction that saves lives. And as much as Chicago Police Officers say saving lives is why they took this job, they all know the innate quality that
prompts such fearlessness.
“It’s something that we were taught and trained, but one thing
always stands out in my mind that I got from an academy instruc- tor,” shared Officer Clarence Hubbard, who is with Unit 189 in narcotics. “It takes a special person to do the job we do. And it’s true, it’s true. It’s hard to explain.”
Or as Anthony Acevez, a 17th District officer who has been on for 22 years, explained: “Nobody wants to have to go through this. But it’s part of who we are.”
He recognized the reward for all officers to never hesitate.
“A lot more could be killed or injured (if we don’t),” he added. “That gives me a lot of pride.”
So when the hours are the darkest and the danger is the great- est, Chicago Police Officers take pride in being at their finest. The finest hours lead to any inkling of hesitation being overcome by duty, which is top of the mind for so many of those who jump into their beat cars and take off.
“It’s what we swore to the City — to uphold the standards of our Department and law enforcement, and we will never hesitate
to do that,” commented 18th District Officer Tom McNaughton, who has been on the job for 20 years. “Officer Jimenez is a great example of what all of these officers would do in a heartbeat for everyone.”
What Chicago Police Officers would like the running-to- ward-danger tribute for Brother Jimenez to emphasize is the camaraderie of protecting that brings them together in a split second. Whether it’s one year on the job or 20 years on the job, Chicago Police Officers each have that character to put their lives on the line for somebody they don’t know.
And that character is nonnegotiable, no matter the circum- stances.
“It’s just like that next-guy-up type of mentality,” 12th District Officer Christian Maysonet observed. “If you know there are people inside who need your help or there’s somebody in worse shape than yourself, you have it within you to go help. It’s hard to explain. It’s not taught. It’s just there.”
The only hesitation apparent among officers who came to the funeral and visitation to honor Samuel Jimenez was to ask for any credit for jumping into the car and taking off whenever the call comes. Certainly, it would be nice for Chicago Police Officers to get a spotlight rather than oversight for the jobs they do. But when other people’s lives are at stake, the opportunity to serve and re- spond is all the recognition needed.
So why do they continue to do it? Well, Sergeant Dawn Jackson from the 024 has seen one prevailing reason in her 28 years on the job.
“We’re here by choice,” she stated. “This is not just a profession. This is a life choice that we made to be out here, to do what we have to do to make sure that at the end of the day, everyone goes home safe.”
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