Page 35 - August 2016 Newsletter

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34 CHICAGO LODGE 7 ■ AUGUST 2016
THE DIFFERENCE CONTINUED FROM PAGE 33
Caballero said Emily, who is also a DART Officer and married Thompson two weeks before he was killed, is originally from Illinois, and came to Chicago for a visit at the end of July. The Brotherhood escorted her from the airport, arranged to take her to a Cubs game and accom- modated her request to be at the fundraiser at the FOP Hall.
Joining the 20-plus-member contingent from the Brotherhood in Dallas was Joe Brennan, a lieutenant in the 10th District. He attended the wakes and funerals for Dallas Officers Michael Krol and Patricio Zamarripa and described the ceremonies as “something I had nev- er seen before with all the law enforcement support. You cannot help but be choked up.”
Brennan said he was particularly moved by the Zamar- ripa funeral, which started with a service at the Wilker- son-Greines Athletic Center in Fort Worth and proceeded to Dallas-Fort Worth National Cemetery for the burial.
“It was like the scene in the movie American Snip- er when they laid his body to rest at the end,” Brennan emoted. “The procession was like 15 miles long with po- lice cars from all over the country. He was buried with military honors and I don’t think I saw even one blade of grass out of place at the cemetery.”
The opportunity to stand with blue and add another car to the procession or a few more to the line of offi- cers standing at a funeral is the only motivation Chicago police officers need to go the distances. Chicago Police Chaplain Father Dan Brandt and Joe Giambrone, a lieu- tenant in 14, made the 100-plus-mile drive to Benton Harbor, Michigan (and back in one day) to attend the fu- neral of Ronald Kienzle, one of two sheriff’s bailiffs shot and killed on July 11 in the Berrien County courthouse. Father Dan said he was overwhelmed by the “sea of po- lice cars representing hundreds of state, county and local jurisdictions.”
When word came on July 7 of the attacks in Dallas, Chi- cago Officer Grace Delgado immediately requested the Department send her as part of the detail to Dallas. When approval came to include her as part of the Honor Guard, she loaded up with other members into two patrol units and a Ford Explorer and made the 17-hour drive.
Following six days and five funerals, Delgado started the return trip when word came about the three officers murdered in Baton Rouge on July 17.
“I was in the car with Officer Roberta Bowen, and we both agreed that we were ready to turn around and drive to Louisiana,” Delgado submitted. “We figured we would find a dry cleaner and a laundromat, take care of our per- sonal business and be on our way.”
The Department decided to have them come back to Chicago, then sent Delgado out again a day later for the 15-hour drive to Baton Rouge. In a little more than a week, she attended all eight funerals.
“I will never forget all the people on the sides of the roads waving American flags and raising homemade posters and signs,” she added. “One day in Louisiana it