Page 20 - January 2020 FOP Magazine

Portraits by Peter Bucks
Tributes to officers from the CPD Officer, Lodge 7 member and renowned artist
‘I really enjoyed the team setting’
n BY AMBER RAMUNDO
Ever since Nicholas Hertko came on the job on Aug. 14, 2000, he’s been a team player.
It all started when Hertko decided to follow in the fam- ily footsteps; many of his rel- atives were law enforcement officers throughout Chicago- land.
After taking the police exam, Hertko was given some advice from a neighbor in Villa Park, where he grew up. That neighbor, a Villa Park officer at the time, insisted that if Hertko wanted an ac- tion-packed and exciting ca- reer in law enforcement, he should set his sights on Chi- cago.
“When it came to choosing between taking an interview in the suburbs or the city, he recommended going with the city,” Hertko explained. “He said I’d have more oppor- tunities and get to see a lot. Chicago was always a place I enjoyed visiting growing up. I decided to go for it.”
ple like human beings.”
In 2003, Hertko was asked to join a tactical team. Over the next 15 years, the 10 offi- cers assigned to the team be- came family as they worked together to make Chicago a
safer place.
“What I always liked about
working with the same peo- ple every day was that every- body knew how to handle themselves, and how to react with each other,” Hertko de- tailed.
Though Hertko and his partners knew what to ex- pect from one another, the job never failed to keep them on their toes. The officers had no idea what they would be responding to —⁠ like the time Hertko and his partner were driving down Milwau- kee Avenue when suddenly, they passed a car that had crashed into a telephone pole on the sidewalk. Dark smoke was billowing from inside the vehicle as Hert- ko and his partner rushed to rescue the trapped driv- er before the car went up in flames.
“That was definitely a mo- ment I won’t forget,” Hertko recalled.
It wasn’t long after Hertko
started working in the 16th
District that he was assigned
to a beat car, which provided
the fast-paced excitement he
was hoping for on the job. Hertko’s opportunities went
to the next level when, after only a year on the job, he
was assigned to the Area 5 Saturation Team with his partner. From that point on, Hertko would thrive by being part of a group of officers working to accomplish a common goal.
“I really enjoyed the team setting,” Hertko insisted. “Those were 90-day details. It lasted a few months, and then everyone would go back to their district.”
In between saturation team assignments, Hertko was sur- rounded by 16th District old-timers who acted as big brothers, teachers and mentors. It was there Hertko received the advice and wisdom that helped the young officer to hone the strong skills necessary for dealing with the public.
“I learned how to talk to people while working with those guys,” Hertko said, giving credit to those senior officers, many of whom were also Vietnam veterans. “A good piece of advice was to be humble and that no one likes a quitter. Always talk to peo-
20 CHICAGO LODGE 7 ■ JANUARY 2020
NICHOLAS J. HERTKO
Star #18278
Hertko’s expertise as a team player continued in 2017, when he was assigned to Unit 213 on the Area North Gun Team. While working on Chicago’s West Side in areas known for high crime rates, Hertko shared how the unit’s use of humor holds the
key to officer morale and well-being.
“I go to work and laugh every day,” Hertko stressed. “The ca-
maraderie makes a huge difference. It definitely helps you get through the intensity of the job.”
And while Hertko knows what it’s like to rely on a team to be successful on the job, the 20-year officer insists that his home team, starring wife Jennifer and daughters Layla and Lillian, is his greatest triumph.
“I see them when I come home and it clears my head,” Hertko stated. “I still love the job, but it can be challenging. My family helps me forget about work and stay grounded.”