Page 32 - November 2017 Magazine

SC
OREBOAR
D ILLUSTRATION BY OFFICER
PETE KAL
ENIK
Final score shows Chicago Police went above and beyond for World Series
n STORIES BY DAN CAMPANA AND MITCHELL KRUGEL n PHOTOS BY JAMES PINTO
The taxi van rolled down Addison Street slowly to- ward Wrigley Field when the side door slid open to re- veal a man decked out in his Cubs gear.
A few Chicago police officers standing nearby imme- diately took notice, a sign they were prepared for what- ever was to come this unprecedented October week- end.
“I just want to thank you guys for what you do,” the man shouted before the van resumed its journey to baseball’s greatest ballpark.
The officers, among dozens lined up on Addison be- fore Game 3 of the World Series, stood at ease after the show of support from baseball fans. That gesture rep- resented a bit of unspoken camaraderie – fans backing the police, while the police were ready to ensure Cubs diehards had a safe and enjoyable time, truly fun at the old ballpark during World Series Weekend through the celebration of the first championship in 108 years that subsequent Wednesday night to the parade on Nov. 4 that culminated this unprecedented event.
Hearing kind words out of the blue proved to be an extra motivator for the women and men in blue.
you,’ we appreciate that. It makes us enjoy being part of this atmosphere,” related Officer Norman Moore, a member of the 19th District Bike Patrol.
With all eyes on Wrigley Field, and the surrounding neighborhood, as it hosted its first World Series games in seven decades, hundreds of officers from all corners of the city stepped up to the plate for a weekend full of extended shifts, big crowds and plenty of unknowns.
Officers arrived by CTA bus from the West Side and the South Side. They put aside their baseball allegianc- es to be fans of the city during an historic moment in time. They handled 12-hour tours on the day/nights of games, endured up to 12 consecutive work days because all days off were cancelled and secured the area with such minimal incidents that even Fox Sports thanked the police for the job it did to its national tele- vision audience.
All the while, these officers tried to be prepared for something Chicago really has never seen before. Sure, many officers have worked high-profile events such as the NATO Summit or various roving protests. Maybe they pulled special details for Blackhawks or White Sox championship parades, or spent a hot summer week- end around Grant Park during Lollapalooza. But, those
“Whenever someone tells us, ‘Hey, we appreciate
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