Page 40 - December 2017

Out of the True Blue
Chicago Police Foundation event once again gathers the city’s business community to generate unprecedented and much-needed support for officers
n BY MITCHELL KRUGEL
n PHOTOS BY JAMES PINTO
Long before the Eli’s cheesecake bar served up just desserts for the True Blue advocates gathered in the Hyatt Regency Crys- tal Ballroom on this November Saturday night, the Chicago business community served up heaping helpings of reinforce- ment for Chicago Police Officers. The Chicago Police Founda- tion Third Annual True Blue Event demonstrated just how much support in a whirlwind of about five minutes.
Chicago’s premier benefit auctioneer, Vinnie Zaffarano, start- ed working his magic among the roomful of Chicago Police Foundation (CPF) benefactors. In a paddle auction, Zaffara- no asked patrons to raise their numbers and donate money to fund providing Law Enforcement Medical and Rescue Training (LEMART) kits for CPD Officers.
“Who will give me $5,000?” Zaffarano challenged. “Every do- nation of $5,000 will provide 50 LEMART kits.”
Four paddles went up.
“How about $2,500?” Zaffarano asked. He then requested $1,000, $500 and down to $100. In about five minutes, the room offered nearly $50,000, enough for nearly 500 kits that will go to officers coming through the Academy. Incredibly, that was just one-tenth of the support the Nov. 4 CPF True Blue Event raised to supply equipment, training, technology and a heaping help- ing of backing for the Department and its officers.
“Cops by nature are skeptical of everything that is not a cop,” declared the event’s special guest, CPD Superintendent Eddie Johnson. “In the CPD, we know we cannot do this alone. We sim- ply can’t. I twist the mayor’s arm all the time about the different things we need, but sometimes we just don’t have it. And that’s where you all step in and fill the gap. We need all of you in the philanthropic world.”
CPF Chair John Robak welcomes guests to the Third Annual True Blue Event.
Behind the philanthropy of the title sponsorship from Chica- go PR giant Weber-Shandwick and other passionate corporate citizens such as Axon, BMO Harris Bank, Cigna, ComEd, @prop- erties, GCM Grosvenor, Greeley and Hansen, LAZ Parking, Ma- gellan Corporation, MB Financial, United Service Companies, US Bank, USI and 7-Eleven, the third annual True Blue Event generated approximately $500,000 to support the CPF mission. The CPF mission, according to Chairman John Robak is relative- ly simple but really important. And oh-so timely.
As the roomful that included Department officials, officers from SWAT teams, the bomb squad, K9, Marine and other spe- cialized units and visiting dignitaries from as far away as the Los Angeles Police Department heard, that mission focuses on rais- ing funds for supplemental resources to:
• Promote officer safety.
• Expand the implementation of technology.
• Increase officer training.
• Enhance relations between Chicago Police Officers and
the communities they serve.
“To tell you the truth, this has been a long time coming,”
submitted Officer Will Riga, a 10-year Department veteran who came on his own to the event. “Every major metropolitan po- lice force has a foundation that supplements training, that sup- plements equipment. I think as you see this police foundation move forward, you’re going to see officers with better equip- ment, you’re going to see them with better training. Any support we can get from the private sector for officers fighting out there on the front lines only helps.”
True Blue Love
So, how much would you pay to have lunch with the superin- tendent? Lodge 7 members might respond, “How much would the superintendent pay to have lunch with me?” Given the phil-
The CPD Honor Guard posted colors to start the event and the Pipes and Drums followed with a stirring ren- dition of “America the Beautiful.”
40 CHICAGO LODGE 7 ■ DECEMBER 2017