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CPF Chair John Robak (right) presents an award of appreciation to Rana Komar of True Blue Event Title Sponsor Weber Shandwick.
anthropic inspiration of True Blue, however, there were those in attendance who thought breaking bread with Johnson would serve a higher calling.
One of the featured live auction items offered lunch with the superintendent. When the bidding began, several takers quickly went into the $4,000 range. As the bid climbed toward $7,000, two enthusiasts emerged fervent and determined. Zaffarano called a quick timeout.
After a brief consult, Johnson upped the ante. He would offer each a lunch if their bids reached $8,000. Sold.
One of the buyers, Collette Taylor, was so moved by the super- intendent being accessible to talk about what is going on in the Department. She even offered to take suggestions from Lodge 7 members about lunch topics of conversation. But ultimately, Taylor revealed that her desire burst from the civic duty that en- veloped the entire event.
“I just think it’s incumbent upon all of us to see what is hap- pening and be involved with what’s happening in our own com- munity. And to help everyone,” she explained. “We may not always like what happens, but guess what: They are our first re- sponders. We need to protect them. We need to support them, and we need them to be well-versed in everything that is going on because if we pick up 9-1-1, we want those guys on our door- step helping us.”
Part of the True Blue evening allowed the public a glimpse of what police officers do before and after the 9-1-1 call. Upon pass- ing through the entrance secured by a detail from the Mounted Unit, guests viewed an array of duty weapons dating back to an original Tommy gun from 1928 and saw the bomb squad demo its remote-controlled robot.
Using a toy ball, K9 Patsy, one of eight Department Vapor Wake dogs trained to detect explosives, played soccer with folks with the help of her partner, Officer Hector Agosto. A True Blue feel- ing overcame guests when they followed the CPD Honor Guard into the ballroom as the Pipes and Drums played “America the Beautiful.”
Such an array seemed to compel so many to open their minds and their hearts in addition to the checkbooks. There was an honor filling the room, brought on by the duty of coming to the aid of the police.
“I think everything, from what’s been in the media to the pub- lic perception of Chicago Police, we need positive influence in supporting these guys,” advocated Alex Hutchinson, an execu- tive with sponsor MB Financial Bank who came to toast cops. “I think the support needed for the Chicago Police is needed now more than ever. They need to know that we’re here to help, to
Chicago Police Superintendent Eddie Johnson consults with auctioneer Vinnie Za arano about o ering a second “lunch with the superintendent” opportunity. Each lunch raised $8,000 for the Chicago Police Foundation.
raise funds to buy them things they need so they don’t have to pay for it out of pocket.”
Trolling for observations and insight from other members of the Chicago business community in attendance disclosed a sense of reality as well, a recognition that what has happened in the police force is hard for ordinary citizens to see, but that there has been progress. As a result, the event was not just about what they saw, but what they didn’t see.
“I would like to have seen the mayor here,” Taylor shared. “He ought to be supporting these guys. These are first responders. They are as important to us as our veterans in the military.”
Perhaps that’s why the giving was so True Blue. Following the “lunch with the superintendent” fervor, live auction items high- lighted by a Cubs tickets package and a signed Anthony Rizzo jersey, Blackhawks tickets right on the glass and a vest signed by the cast of the TV show Chicago PD that is filmed in the City contributed to nearly $90,000 raised through that aspect of the event alone.
So what’s it like to be caught up in that feeling?
“I’m humbled,” exclaimed Toni DiPaolo of sponsor Laz Park- ing. “You see the people in this room just give and you appreci- ate the fact you live in a city like Chicago. Regardless of all the stuff going on, we have to take care of our front line because they take care of us. The fact that people show up to this and give out of their own pockets to make them safer and provide the tools, what an awesome place to be.”
True Blue Grit
On a night of thank-yous, Johnson shouted out on behalf of the Department. This included expressing gratitude for the Foundation providing the LEMART kits to every recruit com- ing through the Academy the past year. Several of those have already been deployed to save residents of the City.
He also delivered a briefing about the ShotSpotter technology the CPF has helped fund, that has been deployed in 007 and 011. In short, ShotSpotter helps pinpoint areas where shootings oc- cur and are likely to occur. It facilitates quicker response to limit violent crime and has helped reduce violent crime. As Johnson reported, the use of the technology in 2017 has reduced gun vio- lence by 45 percent in Englewood, which is in 007.
“CPD is now the talk of this country because of that technol- ogy,” Johnson told those who helped fund it. “Every major city wants to come to Chicago and see what we’re doing. You have helped us fund the ShotSpotter technology and that has been extremely valuable. Right now, I don’t want to jinx us, but we
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