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Officers Conrad Gary and Eduardo Marmolejo: “They wanted to be The Police”
The Safe Approach
Raising awareness about how to get home at the end of the tour
■ BY DAN CAMPANA
“Stay safe.”
Two simple words that carried an emotional and penetrating message in the wake of losing Commander Paul Bauer and Of- ficers Samuel Jimenez, Conrad Gary and Eduardo Marmolejo in the line of duty in 2018.
Such context compels these two words to not just be spoken out of habit, but with officers’ concern for each other as they embark on their next shift.
“The words ‘Stay safe,’ they are a little heavier now. When I was first on, you’d hear it from everyone: ‘Stay safe, stay safe, stay safe,’” said 9th District Officer Kevin Sweeney, who has been on the job for 18 months. “After going to Commander Bauer’s funeral and (services for) Officer Jimenez, it is taking on more of a serious tone. It’s something you say and you mean it. It’s real.”
For Sweeney, reality set in just after Thanksgiving, when he was assigned to second watch in 001. He, along with many other officers, responded to the Mercy Hospital shooting that claimed Jimenez’s life.
“After that incident, we grouped together and found it easier to talk to each other about it because we were there,” Sweeney
said. “Going to work the next day, it was tough. It is the ultimate sacrifice we can make. It’s unfortunate, but we have to go to work. Just because this happened doesn’t mean we’re not gonna go out there and serve the City of Chicago like we’re supposed to.”
While there’s a business-as-usual mindset even during these tragic times, everyone from cadets to veteran officers is taking stock of how they stay safe in their difficult jobs. Safety is front of mind. At the academy, Chicago’s newest officers are being reminded to always watch each other’s backs – and to drop ev- erything when a colleague needs help, according to Cadet Ro- lando Ramirez. Those on patrol are considering everything now – whether to join that foot pursuit, whether to go it alone when backup is on its way, whether the tactics and training they know so well will work the next time.
“You’ve got to take your time when you’re dealing with these situations. You can’t just run into a room. You have to have a tactical advantage every time you make a traffic stop or if you’re on a foot chase,” said Officer Mario Perez, who has spent his five-year career in 005. “Whatever situation you are in, you have to have a tactical advantage.”
Training and repetition provide important guidance. Com-
42 CHICAGO LODGE 7 ■ JANUARY 2019