Page 35 - June2020 FOP Magazine

Members Only leading the COVID-19 response We’re in this together
Retired, but he’s still got offificers’ ‘six’ during pandemic
n BY DAN CAMPANA
Mark Mattozzi spent 27 years in law enforcement – 20 as a Chicago Police Officer – before retiring, but he never stopped thinking of himself as a cop or someone who will do anything he can to support his brothers and sisters in blue.
“I trust these guys with my life. They’re family,” Mattozzi shared.
That was never truer than when the COVID-19 pandemic be- came a front-line reality for police around the city. He read a story about a DUI suspect who, while claiming to have the vi- rus, spit on an officer. Then, his friend, Officer Marco DiFranco, died of the coronavirus. The combination motivated Mattozzi to figure out a way to help protect officers.
“I had no choice. My oath of enlistment never expired. The fact is, my personal mandate was I had to do this,” Mattozzi, a former narcotics officer, said.
What Mattozzi started doing is creating what he calls “practi- cal and tactical” masks that can keep droplets in the air – not to mention sneezes, coughs and dangerous liquids – from getting into the eyes, ears and mouths of officers. Policing is up close and personal work, and Mattozzi wanted to give cops a piece of protective equipment at a time when they need it most.
Leaning on some of the skills he developed as a sailor, Mat- tozzi constructed the masks with a shield made of clear vinyl used for boat windows and a durable headband consisting of material derived from recycled plastic bottles. Connected with Velcro, the mask comes together in no time.
“I can make one in 40 seconds” with the help of an industrial
sewing machine, he explained. “I’ll make these things until my fingers fall off.
“It blocks everything. It’s designed for person-to-person con- tact. You can put it in your pocket, you can reuse it over and over again,” Mattozzi said, adding they can easily be sanitized.
Since late March, Mattozzi has produced approximately 3,000 masks. He shared a few with buddies in the 19th District who loved them, and he continues to hand them out to any- one and everyone. One day, he crossed paths with two officers wearing his masks, so Mattozzi asked what they thought and where they got them. After giving the masks a positive review, they mentioned the masks came from a retired cop – Mattozzi told them he was that retired cop, he recalled with a laugh.
Word of mouth alone led Mattozzi’s masks to land in the hands of officers across Chicago, as well as several suburban departments. A YouTube video he posted in March on how to make the masks has picked up 1,500 views, while a Chicago Sun-Times story and the power of social media have led to calls and emails from departments, even one overseas, and individ- uals interested in getting their hands on the masks.
Two things Mattozzi makes as clear as the shield itself: He didn’t do this for notoriety or for profit. He gives the masks to anyone who asks for them.
“I don’t think about my time or the cost. Every day, I just crank these out, 100 a day,” he said, giving credit to those who have helped with financial and material donations. “I’m just a retired copper. I wanted to inspire others to do something.
“I just want to stop the spread of COVID. I want one guy to say, ‘Mark, you saved my ass,’” Mattozzi said.
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