Page 49 - SEPTEMBE 2018 Newsletter

Members Only Section
Celebr
Three officers prevent suicidal man from jumping off roof
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■ BY DAN CAMPANA
Disregarding his own personal safety, 20th District Officer Jason Kotlarz made conversation and edged closer to the 32-year-old man on the roof of a three- story building on the campus of Swedish Covenant Hospital.
Kotlarz knew he had built up a rapport with the man, who was described as being “in crisis” after fleeing the hospital. Their conversation stretched beyond 30 minutes but went by in the blink of an eye as Kotlarz tried to bring the man back from the roof’s edge.
“I kept making my way closer and closer with my hand out, hoping he was going to put his hand out and grab mine,” Kotlarz, just two years on the job, said of the Aug. 5 incident in the 5100 block of North Califor- nia Avenue.
Kotlarz made his move when the man looked away for a second. With a firm grab, Kotlarz took control of the man to pull him away from the ledge. Kotlarz and fellow of- ficers Victor Montez and Rob Berndt then ensured the man’s safe exit from the roof-
From left, Officers Victor Montez, Jason Kotlarz and Rob Berndt
top and returned him to the hospital.
The trio’s actions were recognized with lifesaving awards by 20th District Com- mander Sean Loughran, who marveled at the bravery of his officers throughout the incident, which he watched unfold on
body camera footage.
“There was a great deal of personal risk.
It is amazing watching all of this; very emo- tional,” Loughran said during an August press conference. “There is no finer exam- ple of why I am proud to be a Chicago Po- lice Officer.”
It all started after the man was admit-
ted to the hospital for mental distress. Al- though he made no threats of harming himself or others, the man eventually fled and found access to the roof of a nearby ad- ministrative building.
Kotlarz was the first to locate the man, scaling a ladder to reach him atop the building. Berndt and Montez arrived on the scene to see Kotlarz firmly engaged in talks with the man. The pair stationed them- selves nearby as the situation played out. Loughran said all three officers used their crisis intervention training, including force mitigation and employing time as a tactic, to prolong the situation with a unified pur- pose.
“We all had one goal in mind. Our focus was to get this individual the help that he needed,” Montez explained.
Kotlarz described himself as having “tunnel vision” throughout the incident but said that “everything worked out for the best.
“It felt great saving a life. That’s what we’re here to do – save people. We’re first responders,” Kotlarz added. d
Riveting rescue
i fin the lin to officer
■ BY ERIKA WURST
What do golf clubs, cops and kids have in common? Up until two years ago, not very much. But officers in Chicago’s 8th District are creating the correlation.
The district has teamed up with First Tee of Greater Chicago to bring the game of golf to local youth and form bonds that go be- yond the street and onto the putting green.
In 1997, First Tee started as a way to bring an affordable junior golf program to youth and communities that did not have them. They discovered that by blending the rules of the game with life and leadership skills, kids didn’t just learn how to putt — they were being taught important values. Officers in the 8th District jumped at the chance to be part of the growing experi- ence with their own local youth.
They partnered with First Tee to host a seven-week summer program that allowed 8th District children ages 7to14 to meet once a week with golf pros and Police Offi- cers to perfect their game.
46 CHICAGO LODGE 7 ■ SEPTEMBER 2018
“Basically all of these kids have never golfed,” District 8 CAPS Officer Ray Tracy said. “It’s an introduction for all of them. Some have never touched a club outside of mini golf.”
The kids met every Friday at the sta- tion and were bused together to the range. There, they got advice from pros, an hour and a half of practice and the chance to mingle with Police Officers in a relaxed set- ting.
“They became very comfortable with us,” Tracy said.
The kids were eager to give high-fives and show off their skills during driving competitions.
After a day on the range, the students were invited back to the police station for a sit-down lunch with the officers. They spent another couple of hours talking about their day as well as their lives, build- ing bridges between the two worlds.
“It’s just a really different interaction than they’re used to,” Tracy said of the rela- tionship he establishes with the youth over the course of just a few weeks.
And while he admits he’s not the best golfer, he appreciates the benefits of the game and what it can do for the children.
“To me, golf is a game where you learn patience,” he said. “It’s slow-moving, more of a thinking game. Other sports you run around, but this is a problem-solving type of sport. How far do you need to hit? What club should you use? What’s the slant of the green? You apply critical thinking a lot.”
Now in its second year, the program isn’t going away anytime soon — which is a good thing, since Officer Tracy is still per- fecting his swing. d