Page 49 - August 2018

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Say yes to the dress
5th District FTO uses creative talent to fashon a prom memory
n BY ERIKA WURST
By day, Samantha Smith is a field training officer in the 5th
District. By night, she’s a creative clothing designer with her own boutique.
The jobs couldn’t be more different, but recently Smith’s two worlds collided in a memory-making way.
About a year ago, she conjured up a way to mesh both jobs into a project of epic proportions. She would create a beauti- ful dress honoring the Chicago Police Department and its fallen officers, but she’d have to find the perfect person and occasion for her to wear it. Cue the arrival of prom season, which already holds a special place in Smith’s heart.
For the last 15 years, Smith has given teens who can’t afford to go to prom the opportunity to do so. She teams up with oth- er officers in the 5th to pay for the dresses, hair, jewelry, shoes, tickets and transportation.
This year, however, Smith decided to do something different — something meaningful and close to her heart. She wanted to create a stunning dress to honor the heroes who didn’t come home from their final shift. She went back 20 years and con- tacted families of officers who were killed. She wanted them to know about the project and her goal.
“I want them to know we didn’t forget about them,” Smith said, and that she never will.
This holds especially true for Smith when it comes to good friend Officer Cliff Lewis, who was shot to death on Dec. 29, 2011.
“I wanted to make this dress about them,” she said. “They all made the ultimate sacrifice.”
Whoever was chosen to wear the ensemble had to be proud to don the outfit. Smith found that person in Alejandra Garcia, whose mother Silvia Sanchez is with the Department.
Once that box was checked, Smith and her sister Evangeline Smith went to work. Evangeline sewed, Samantha designed and a beautiful vision was brought to life: an overcoat with a skyline to honor the Chicago Police, and a blue, black and white stars- and-stripes dress to honor the fallen officers.
“I was nervous when she first came to try it on, but she fell in love with it,” Smith said of her model. Garcia unveiled the dress before her prom in June, surrounded by officers and supporters at the 5th District headquarters. “When she came out, people were so amazed. I think people underestimated me, and I blew it out of the park.”
But, underestimating this FTO is something you’ll learn quickly not to do.
Samantha Smith, an FTO in 005, designed a prom dress to honor fallen officers. The dress was worn by Alejandra Garcia, whose mother is also a Chicago Police Officer.
Between designing and training, Smith also helps with the CAPS unit in her district, even though she’s not assigned that job. She has made it her goal to give back to her colleagues and community in the best way she can. Despite her schedule, Smith always finds the time.
“When I’m off duty, I sit back, smoke cigars and just think of ways to help,” she said. “My husband tells me all the time I’m going to die helping people. He asks why I do this. I tell him I do what God tells me to do. I find the time.” d
CHICAGO LODGE 7 ■ AUGUST 2018 49