Page 39 - August 2016 Newsletter

S
S
Si
i
i
g
g
n
ns
s
so
o
of
f
f
Support
Residents and family members stand up for the police at 16th District Rally
n BY NICK SWEDBERG AND MITCHELL KRUGEL n PHOTOS BY JAMES PINTO
The assassinations of police officers in Texas and Louisi- ana sent shockwaves across law enforcement communities around the country.
It also inspired police supporters in Chicago to unite.
About a week after five Dallas officers were fatally shot in an ambush while overseeing a downtown protest, hundreds turned out for a rally in Chicago’s 16th District that was a show of support for the fallen. The July 14 rally – or a law enforce- ment meet-and-greet as it was called – saw more than 400 people including about 100 wives of police officers, attend.
The turnout proved to be more than was initially anticipat- ed and turned the rally into a show of support Chicago police officers have not seen enough of the past several months. Or years.
Members of the Department’s Pipes and Drums were on hand, and many residents made signs to show how they tru- ly feel about the way they are served and protected. Some of those thank-you notes could be seen in the windows of the 16th District for days after the event. And the picture of one family member holding up a sign reading: “Police Lives Mat- ter. Support Your Local Police,” is the type of message that is going viral on social media more and more these days.
The event drew a large contingent of media, and Patrol Commander Al Nagode even addressed the crowd. But the pièce de résistance might have been the cupcakes showing
38 CHICAGO LODGE 7 ■ AUGUST 2016