Page 25 - July 2017 Newsletter

P traits by Peter Bucks
Tributes to officers from the CPD Officer, Lodge 7 member and renowned artist
At home on the range
n BY AMBER RAMUNDO
Holstered tightly on the belts of Chicago Po- lice Officers is a weapon that may never be drawn throughout a career in law enforcement. On the North Side of the City, there is one man who feels responsible for the guns officers carry and their ability to operate them properly in a time of need. Pedro A. Medina Jr. is the man behind the triggers of Chicago’s North District officers who have taken his firearms train- ing classes over the past six years to refresh their point-and-shoot skills.
“At some point or an-
other, any officer on the
North Side will come in
contact with me,” ex-
plained Medina, a range
instructor from Unit 124
who has served Chicago
since he became an offi-
cer in 1998. “My goal is to
make [officers] proficient
and keep them safe in our community.”
he no longer works on the streets, the knowledge he passes along to new and veteran officers is present on each dispatch as offi- cers arrive on scene where there may be a threat that causes them to raise their firearms.
“Shooting is a deteriorat- ing skill if you don’t prac- tice,” Medina stated. “It’s not like these officers are being shot at every single day walking the streets.”
In a “Fundamentals of Shooting” class, Medi- na refreshes officers on the five essential steps to proper firearm technique. Departments throughout Chicago make Medina’s classes mandatory to its members, who are given a limited time to sign up and attend a session. All the officers who attend Medi- na’s four-hour class have learned these fundamen- tals before, but after serv- ing months or even years
without shooting a gun, it’s important to be
reminded of the proper stance, grip, site align- ment and picture, trigger control and breathing
that could save a life.
“I feel responsible for these officers and their ac-
tions,” said Medina, who ends each class with at least an hour of trigger time in the shooting range. “Even if it’s just that one time that they have to pull the trigger, you want them to be able to save someone’s life or their own.”
When Medina looks at his portrait created by Peter Bucks, he’s reminded of his long-term commitment of service to the country and the City. His role within the Chicago Police Department prepares officers to deal with the villains of society by passing along the skills necessary to terminate a threat with a single pull of a trigger.
“I want to be a leading example to our youth and my peers,” he shared. “I want a better community. I want a better Chicago. What better way to keep serving my city than by being an instructor?” d
with firing a firearm
PEDRO A. MEDINA JR. Star# 13494
“Protect and serve” is the motto that has de-
fined Medina’s civic duty ever since he enlisted in
the Army straight out of high school. At the age of
17, Medina was handed a rifle and taught how to shoot. Ever since then, through his military years serving in both Afghanistan and Iraq, and as an officer on the streets of Chicago, Medina has carried with him two things: his fire- arm and the knowledge of how to properly use it to pro- tect himself and others.
“Even out of the service, I still had the drive to serve my country in some form or another,” Medina shared. “What better way than to become a Police Officer and serve the citizens of Chicago?”
After more than a decade of patrolling the streets of Chicago and never having to shoot his gun on the job, Medina took a firearms instructor course to become a range instructor within the Police Department. Though
CHICAGO LODGE 7 ■ JULY 2017 25