Page 54 - June 2017 Newsletter

Congregation continues tradition of honoring of cers
n BY NICK SWEDBERG
For many years, Patrice Mozee saw good stories about Chicago Police Officers go unreported by newspa- pers and unnoticed by the commu- nity.
Mozee, who retired after 30 years
with the Chicago Police Department,
is a member of the New Vision Faith
Ministries in the 5th District and or-
ganizes the church’s Police Apprecia-
tion event. Started a decade ago by pastor and retired po- lice Chaplain Kevin Dean, the annual event honors some of the unsung good works by Chicago police.
“He wanted to recognize, during National Police Month, some of the officers in the community,” Mozee said.
This year, the event highlighted officers from the 5th, 7th and 11th districts, Mozee said. Most notably, the 7th District officers were praised for raising $130,000 for three girls found in an abandoned warehouse. The girls are now living with their grandmother, Mozee said.
That story caught a great deal of media attention, but other activities recognized by the church event general- ly do not. The event lets the church and the surrounding
community know about the brave and heroic stories that don’t get no- ticed by media, according to Mozee.
In past years, the event has hon- ored law enforcement officers out- side of Chicago as well, including Calumet City, Calumet Park, Lan- sing and departments at the Univer- sity of Illinois, University of Chicago and Chicago State University.
The event has had themes in past years, such as the year when those in command positions within the department were honored, Mozee said. Since the church resides on West 120th Street in the 5th district,
local officers receive recognition at each ceremony.
“The congregation loves it. They look forward to it every
year,” Mozee said.
Between 50 and 75 people fill the church every year for
the event. Most are members of the congregation, many of whom are current and retired Police Officers.
“The community hears the bad stuff, but the commu- nity doesn’t hear how they give back, how the officers are God-fearing and religious people,” Mozee said. “It feels good to me because I know we do good work.”d
54 CHICAGO LODGE 7 ■ JUNE 2017